Bringing Back What's Dead
by SpeedDemon315
Summary: Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? SakuraxSasori
1. Chapter 1: Trouble Arising

_Bringing Back What's Dead_

**Chapter 1:**

Trouble Arising

**Summary: **Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? SakuraxSasori

Yes, I decided to make a sequel to **Till Death Due Us Apart**. Originally, I was firmly against it but the rebellious and mischievous portion of my mind said, "Well, if you _could _do a sequel on it, then what would it be about?" Sakura trying to resurrect Sasori, of course. After a few minutes of pondering and discussions with myself (yes, I do that time after time), I came up with the kicker to the sequel and a rough analysis on how the story would go. So, for all of you who wanted a sequel to my SasoSaku oneshot, your wishes have been granted. Now, journey forward and enjoy the very first chapter of **Bringing Back What's Dead**!

P.S. There's a three year time skip in this. Shinkutsuki is currently three years old but is close in reaching his fourth year. And for those who have not read **Till Death Due Us Apart** I highly suggest you read that before reading this, otherwise you might get tremendously perplexed with the future references, etc, in this story.

Text:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

'_Inner Sakura'_

_**Flashback/Lyrics**_

Music/Songs:

"Like You" by Evanescence

**Disclaimer: Why yes, I do own Naruto but I'm not completely satisfied with it so I'm writing up this story to appease to my desires. Psych. The last part is true though; Sakura and Sasori should have gotten together in my wondrous opinion. Also, I do not own "Like You" by Evanescence. **

* * *

_**Halo**_

_**Blinding wall between us**_

_**Melt away and leave us alone again**_

_**Humming, haunted somewhere out there**_

_**I believe our love can**_

**_See us through in death. _**

* * *

"Sakura-chan!" 

A pink-haired kuniochi furiously flipped through the pages of a medical book, a frown on her face. Deep concentration lines marked her brow and her eyebrows furrowed in frustration as she continued to the mad search for a certain section in the ten-inch thick leather-bound book.

"Sakura-chan!"

Slamming the useless book shut, the said shinobi growled accusingly at the worthless object in front of her. Thirty chapters on medical issues and such, twenty chapters about the human body and chakra gates, and seven chapters on spiritual rituals and godly miracles in medic events through out the ages! Not a single goddamn page told her about how to revive a body or even _remotely _hint a possible way. And to think she wasted two weeks reading this material in hopes of finding any leads that could possibly bring Sasori back to life. That amount now was added to the growing number of time she spent in her research. Three years and hardly a scrap of information!

"Die, you wretched, stupid book!" she yelled, hurling it across the other side of the room. Consequently, it was spinning towards the door and the door was already opening as the book began closing in on its oblivious target.

"Sakura-chan, why aren't— Ow!" An orange, swirl-masked shinobi wearing the garments of the infamous Akatsuki organization clutched his left eye painfully and began whimpering softly. Seeing this display of hurt, Sakura's enraged expression soften and was replaced with sympathy.

"Oh, Tobi, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were coming in and I was so caught up in my work and frustration…." Erstwhile she had rushed to his aid and removed his hand over his injured eye. "How bad does it hurt, Tobi?"

"It hurts Tobi a little. Sakura doesn't have to heal him. Tobi's strong boy as well as a good one!" The changed tone in Tobi's voice signaled to Sakura he would be fine-in the long run-and wouldn't accept her healing, no matter what she'll say.

"If you say so, Tobi. But I want you to put ice on it to reduce the swelling, okay?"

"Tobi says that's fine." He left the room to do just that, leaving her alone once again with her scattered research and lurking, boiling frustration.

Sighing, Sakura sank down on her work chair, running her fingers through her untidy rosette hair feverously. Three years and she hadn't found any hints or possible instructions that could tell her on how to resurrect her beloved. She combed through the Akatsuki archive till there wasn't a book or scroll she hadn't read, seen, or glanced at. Unfortunately, it had helped very little on her quest. She asked the other members to seek for any information that could be beneficial to her for she couldn't leave Shinkutsuki out her care just yet. He was three years old for Kami-sama's sake!

To top it off, neither she nor any other of the Akatsuki members heard of or know someone who could have the skill of instant revival.

"Let's see…. Leaf didn't have anything to begin with; Akatsuki had a little, Sand…no, same for the Mist, Rock, Cloud, Grass…." She checked off all the villages she had already obtained information from, looking for any ones she could have missed. As Sakura went down the list, her eyes skidding to a stop at the name of the last village:

Otogakure

'_Hey, doesn't Orochimaru still hang around there?' _

Her hand frozen and her eyes still on the paper, her inner's question had made her remember a distant memory she had forgotten long ago. Most of her memories of Leaf-save for the ones of Ino, Naruto, and Kakashi-were locked away, stored in the dark corners of her mind. It was simply her way of moving on; the less she reminiscent over her time as a Kohona shinobi, the better. After all, brooding about the past was certainly not going to get her anywhere. It could influence the future, yes, but if you didn't let go of the past then how were you ever suppose to live your life?

"Wait a minute…." she whispered, the probing memory becoming less and less nebulous, "Orochimaru…Tsunade…Nawaki and Dan. Of course!"

'_What is it?'_

_I've just remember something. Way back when, I recall hearing that Orochimaru proposed an offer to Tsunade. If she healed his arms he would bring back her deceased lover and brother back from the grave. _

'_Yeah, but didn't Tsunade refuse in the end?'_

_Correct, but if Orochimaru is bold enough to make such an offer then it's just a possibility that he _can _bring back the dead!_

'_But this Orochimaru we're talking about! One of the Sannin, a former member of the Akatsuki that's still alive, and was responsible of the Third Hokage's death! Not to mention he has a huge reputation of betraying those who involve themselves into his affairs. Sakura, if you're thinking what I think you're thinking….'_

_I _am._ I am perfectly sane about it. I have worked endlessly to find anything that could help us in reviving Sori-kun but constantly come up empty-handed. This could be our final chance in finding something of value for once! _

'_Surely you don't mean to strike up a deal with him!' _

_Who said anything about forming deals with him? _

* * *

"Orochimaru." The said snake-user Sannin lifted his head up at the sound of his name. His demanding, manipulative golden eyes stared straightly at the silver-haired medic in front him. A visible smirk danced about on the Oto spy's face. 

"What is it, Kabuto?" Kabuto shifted his glassed upward to signal he was about to begin and deliver his report.

"After investigating and spying on Kohona's activities, I've uncovered some…intriguing news you might want to hear. It could, perhaps, help the situation you are still in." He motioned to Orochimaru's arms, which had a special medicine injected into them to make them semi-functional for a few hours. This piped up Orochimaru's interest so he leaned forward in curiosity.

"Go on. What did you find?"

"Do you remember Haruno Sakura? Tsunade's apprentice?" Orochimaru scowled at the mention of his ex-teammate's name. It still irritates him that she refused his proposal to reunite her with very two people she loved dearly in exchange for the healing of his arms. It was simple, 'innocent' proffer and even _he_ thought he had her. Yet, in the end result she rejected it. That just irked him off more instead of enraging him. He only gave out offerings like those to very few and does it only once. And of course, she blew it. Then again, like he ever cared about such trifles. There were other, more important events that needed his supervision than embitterment over a lost chance of regaining the use of his arms back.

"Yes, I recall her image quite well. Tsunade has rubbed off on her far too much." A chuckle came from Kabuto's lips, a sinister gleam in his eye.

"Maybe Tsunade didn't rub off on her so much or quite enough, Orochimaru."

Orochimaru cocked an eyebrow at his subordinate's cryptic statement, unsure of what Kabuto exactly meant by that. "Just recently I found out that Sakura has left the Leaf Village and is labeled a missing-nin. The reason why is quite unexpected, if I may say so myself."

Enjoying where this was going, Orochimaru probed him to continue. "What's the reason to why she left? Surely not for Sasuke."

"Definitely not. She has given up on him, almost forgot him completely from what I gathered. No, she has found someone else, someone far more dangerous. In fact, he is the reason why she left." Kabuto paused, wondering how Orochimaru would react to the next bit of news.

"It would seem your old partner, Sasori, and Sakura had some sort of relationship. I even heard that they were married."

Orochimaru snickered, amused by the irony of the outcome of an Akatsuki member seducing Tsunade's apprentice into betraying her village. He hoped that rattled Tsunade around a bit, she needed a good shock every now and then.

"That's why she left? For Sasori?"

"It would seem so. However…he's dead."

Orochimaru frowned. "When was this?"

"About three years ago, after when Sakura first left the Leaf Village with Sasori. They were married by the time Tsunade sent eighty ANBU and a single jounin to bring Sakura back and kill Sasori. Sasori managed to obliterate half of them before finally meeting his doom. My sources say that Sakura herself was the one who finished off the rest of squad, even bringing death up Genma, a jounin she knew very well. Yet after committing this treasonous deed, she did not elude the next wave of shinobis. She allowed them to find her and bring her back to Kohona, refusing to say where she hid Sasori's body. She was scheduled to be executed in three months but was later postponed to nine."

Orochimaru knew immediately what that meant. "She was pregnant." It was more of a statement rather than a question. Kabuto nodded and continued.

"Yes. Yamanaka Ino and Nara Shikamaru were supposed to adopt her child after when she was dead but the Akatsuki intervened and helped her to escape. Her and her son, Shinkutsuki, have been fully pledged members for the past three years and from my intelligence, she is seeking a way to resurrect Sasori."

A deep, dry laugh echoed from the back of Orochimaru's throat, his mind already plotting. He knew where Kabuto was leading him to; he had sensed it from the start. Oh, how the Fates were working with him now!

"I see what you mean, Kabuto. Very good, I am pleased with your results." The medic nin replied to this compliment by pushing his glasses upright again and nodded, sunlight reflecting eerily off his lenses. "By the way, I'm curious on how you managed to obtain this information on all these peculiar events, especially from the Akatsuki base nonetheless."

"I have my ways, Lord Orochimaru."

The lord of Oto noticed an evident but small smirk on his top spy's face and understood at once what Kabuto meant. He had placed moles in not only Kohona but in the Akatsuki as well. Orochimaru couldn't be any more satisfied with Kabuto's work. From his right-hand man's deductive and precise investigations there was another way for him to achieve in gaining the functioning of his arms back. If Sakura loves Sasori like Kabuto said she did and would do _anything _to have him back then things couldn't be more perfect for his diabolical plans for the future.

"Kabuto, I want you to lure Sakura to me. Make sure you're not seen by the Akatsuki or anyone else that might be threats to our grand design. Convince Sakura to arrange a meeting with me. Dangle Sasori's revival in front of her, if you must, but I don't think it will have to come to that. She's an intelligent shinobi."

Kabuto nodded, agreeing. "Sakura might have already figured it out that you're the only person who can fulfill her wish," he added. Orochimaru's infamous sadistic grin crept over his pale, ageless features, his attentive gold eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Then I guess we can just wait for her to come to us, Kabuto. She'll come here just to infiltrate Sound and try to obtain information for her search. I will like to see how well she progresses before making my move."

"It will be done, Lord Orochimaru."

* * *

A spiky, blonde shinobi slurped down the contents of his bowl with processing over the highlight of his day. His eyebrows furrowed quizzically, a troubled look washing over his face. _It just doesn't make sense. Why would Tsunade call such an important meeting and not ask for my audience? I mean, I'm one of the candidates to be the next Hokage! _

"What's going on in that meeting?" whined Naruto, shoving more ramen in his mouth. He was so intent on his lunch and meeting that he didn't detect a familiar chakra looming over him.

"What's this about a meeting?"

Surprised, Naruto jumped a mile and his hand flung his ramen bowl up into the sky. In a panicked dash to save the ramen bowl-and prevent paying extra money for breaking it-Naruto created several shadow clones to assist him retrieving the bowl back. Eventually, they all waited until they could see where it would land and rushed to the exact spot, hands held upward to catch it. Once Naruto felt the bowl cradling safely in his hands he sat back down at his seat, allowing his clones to disperse. The Kyuubi container glared at the slouched, silver-haired jounin at his right.

"_Kakashi_!" he bellowed with a whine, "What was that for?! You scared the crap out of me and almost broke my ramen bowl!" His ex-sensei laughed at Naruto's antics.

"If you paid more attention to your surroundings then this would never have happened," he chided lightly, "haven't I taught you that?"

"Yeah, you and Sakura." He faltered at the sound of his best friend's name, his voice dropping down a few notches. "Sakura would drill that into my head when we trained together."

"I know. I occasionally had watched you two spar."

The Copy nin's voice was equally as hushed as Naruto's was. A sober mood washed over the two Leaf ninjas, remembrance of their pink-haired friend unearthing many memories. Unsure of how to break the abrupt silence between him and Kakashi, Naruto returned back to his meal, intending to finish his ramen. Kakashi opened his mouth to speak but was silenced instantly by the other boisterous blonde of Kohona.

"THERE YOU ARE!" screeched Yamanaka Ino, pointing to sitting figure of Naruto wolfing down his meal and the relaxed, motionless Kakashi, "I'VE BEEN LOOKING ALL OVER FOR YOU TWO RASCALS!"

"Ino, it's impolite to point, much less wake up any remaining afternoon sleepers and drive all of us deaf," Kakashi replied simply. Ino scowled at him before deciding to ignore this comment and took a seat next to Naruto.

"Hey, Naruto!" she chirped. Naruto responded back with his usual 'hi' only his mouth was full of ramen and other portions. Shaking her head, Ino decided it was time to get down to business.

"Are any of you currently aware of the special meeting Tsunade called ten minutes ago?" she inquired. Both men looked up at her, recognition in their eyes. Pleased with their reaction, she went on.

"Tsunade asked for the attendance of the council, the ANBU, most of the skilled jounin and chuunin. Yet Shikamaru and I were excluded from this 'confidential' meeting. I take it you two were also denied?" Both a blonde and silver head nodded. "I thought so."

"But what does this mean?" asked Naruto, scratching his head, "I don't see what they're talking about anything that has to do with us. Why deny our attendance?"

"I've been thinking along the same lines but…something is not quite right about this." Ino added uncertainly, nibbling the ends of her mouth.

Kakashi coughed politely. Ino and Naruto looked up at his direction, knowing this was one of his ways in getting people's attention. It also meant he might have information beneficial for their current situation.

"I believe it's the other way around, Naruto and Ino."

Ino blinked at the blunt statement. "What do you mean?"

"Huh?" said Naruto, who was currently lost.

"What I mean is I believe this meeting didn't include us for a specific reason. Instead us having nothing to do with us in the meeting, I think it's the other way around."

"Meaning…?"

"Naruto, Tsunade didn't invite us to the conference because it _has _something to do with us. Something she didn't want us to get involved in." explained the calm jounin wearily.

Ino tapped her chin thoughtfully at this, thoughts swarming in her head. "But what would be the reason that forbids us and Shikamaru from the meeting?"

"Let's see…." Naruto began, "Shikamaru is too lazy for his own good—"

"My Shikamaru isn't lazy! He just needs to be motivated harder than regular people!"

"Kakashi reads perverted, nasty books—"

"Now, now, Naruto, my books aren't nasty."

"Ino has the loudest, most obnoxious voice in all of Kohona—"

"AND YOU'RE LACKING BRAIN CELLS!"

Both blondes glowered intensely at each other, determined to "out-glare" the other. If looks could kill, they'd both be a steaming pile of cinders. Kakashi sighed at the two shinobis' childish display; even after all those years of maturity they still locked horns with one another, acting like they did in their genin days.

"I don't think any of those…traits relate to our rejection of the meaning. Rather, I think it has to do with our relation with _someone_. I wouldn't have thought about the possible person so soon if Naruto and I hadn't just mention her name a few minutes ago." He gave them his closed-eye, cheery smile.

"What?" exclaimed Ino. Realization dawned over Naruto, for he instinctively knew who Kakashi was talking about.

"Sakura…." he whispered loud enough only for the jounin and blue-eyed kuniochi to hear, "The meeting is about Sakura!"

* * *

_**You're not alone**_

_**No matter what they told you**_

_**You're not alone**_

**_I'll be right here beside you forevermore _**

* * *

Yep, that's first chapter of the sequel. Tell me how it was; I hope it wasn't a disappointment or a big letdown and such. 

_**----SpeedDemon315**_


	2. Chapter 2: Offer from the Devil

_Bringing Back What's Dead_

**Chapter 2:**

Offer from the Devil

**Summary: **Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? SakuraxSasori

A/N: There will be an OC dragged in this chapter but she will only serve a tiny yet substantial role (you'll soon find out). You will see eventually what purpose she will serve.

Text:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

'_Inner Sakura'_

_**Flashback/Lyrics**_

Music/Songs:

"The Devil Went Down To Georgia" by the Charlie Daniels Band.

**Disclaimer: Don't I wish I did. I also do not own "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" by The Charlie Daniels Band. **

* * *

_**The Devil went down Georgia**_

_**He was lookin' for a soul to steal**_

_**He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind**_

_**And he was willin' to make a deal**_

_**When he came across this young man**_

_**Sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot**_

_**And the Devil jumped on a hickory stump**_

**_And said, boy, let me tell you what _**

* * *

The sun was setting. Splashes of scintillate and lucent pastels of soft pinks, mellow blues, enigmatic purples, golden oranges, mundane yellows, and faint greens covered the evening sky with its dazzling, colorful array of splendor. A lone figure garbed in a black cloak decorated with blood-red clouds stared aimlessly at the horizon before her. Tucking a rebellious strand of her vibrant pink hair, the Akatsuki kuniochi wordlessly placed the straw hat over her head, covering her tell-tale hair color. 

Dusk was fast approaching. By the time she reaches Sound it will be nightfall already. …And that was just how she planned it be. Stealth in the dark is tricky but she wasn't in the Akatsuki by name alone. It would be a piece of cake.

_I hope the others are successful in taking care of Shinkutsuki; I mean they're great shinobi role models and all but…. Do any of them really know the first steps about taking care of a toddler? Itachi and Deidara might, they had a younger sibling to take care of. Kisame, he's responsible enough, so I suppose he'll be fine with my son. Hidan and Kakuzu are on a mission and Zetsu doesn't like to eat toddlers-thank Kami! As for Tobi…that's another story. I just hope my set of instructions help them out in case trouble consumes them._

After muttering a curt prayer to Kami-sama (she wasn't as religious as Hidan was but it couldn't hurt to ask for God's help once in awhile) she set her sights for the road to Sound and sped off in that direction. As she combed through the trees, the charm dangling from her hat chimed mystically into the air, already beginning the steps for the concealment genjutsu she placed inside it.

So her perilous search for revival into the snake's lair has now begun.

* * *

It was mildly amiable and mostly typical day in Kohona and everything appeared to be prospering greatly. Children went to school like their parents requested them to do- whether they did it under duress or not. Regular adults went to work at their profession while stay-at-home parents tidied up the house, prepared a family dinner for this evening, or went outside to browse around in the village's shops and buy a few trinkets here and there. 

All seemed well in the Leaf Village, it displayed the painted picture of the perfect, loving, and welcoming home for friends and strangers alike. Yet those who knew better could see through this fallacious, rose-tinted illusion and unmask it for what it truly was: a village reeking with beautifully constructed white lies and deceitful acts to cover up the skeletons lurking in Kohona's closet. The shinobi of Leaf carried out the deceiving façade, making sure that the citizens would gobble up the carefully woven canards and not detect the sinister secret earthed underneath.

Haruno Sakura was Kohona's biggest secret…and greatest lie. Which it is why that the Fifth Hokage of the village summoned a meeting for all full-fledged shinobis, ranging from chûnin to ANBU, to attend. That it is, save for a certain Kyübi container, a silver-haired jônin who reads smutty novels daily, a clamorous blonde kuniochi who was owner of a popular floral shop, and her husband, the lazy genius of Kohona. This obvious exception was easily perceptive and discussed by all the Leaf ninjas in the room.

"Attention, everyone! Stop your conversations at once!"

The booming, authoritative voice of the Godaime echoed through out the dysfunctional crowded room, ceasing the chatters of all those men and women who were so tightly cramped together in one medium-sized room that was never built to house so many ninjas.

Tsunade looked around the room, satisfied in how the first stages of her plans were progressing. "Now, before I begin, I want you to understand that what goes on in this room, stays in this room. Do not breath a word of this to anyone you know, especially to anyone who was not invited to this confidential meeting. Is that clear?"

A murmuring chorus of "Hais" vibrated back to her and she nodded briskly prior to getting down to business.

"The purpose of this meeting is simple, shinobis of Kohona," she began, eying any potential candidates who would dare to interrupt her and succumb to her wrath. She caught the encouraging nod from Jiraiya and resumed her speech.

"I have brought all you fine shinobis here to discuss about a potential crisis on our hands. I am referring to missing-nin Haruno Sakura."

A wave of anxious, resentful murmuring instantly broke out from the ninjas, for the roseate-haired kuniochi was notoriously known by all. From her past chartable deeds as a passionate, diligent Leaf kuniochi to her astounding betrayal by joining the much despised criminal organization, the Akatsuki. Haruno Sakura-or Akasuna no Sakura it was rumored-was now mostly recognized by her marriage to Akasuna no Sasori and her miraculous escape from her execution that was scheduled the following day, aided by the Akatsuki members themselves. That fateful, historical night proved to the whole shinobi world that the Akatsuki _did, _in fact,look out for one another and will infiltrate and attack an entire village as a diversion just to rescue one of their own.

"As you knew beforehand, she and Sasori had…some sort of companionship, thus producing an infant son who goes by Akasuna no Shinkutsuki."

From the crowd a bald shinobi supporting a ginger color goatee raised his hand, effectively prolonging the solemn mood hanging over them all. "By companionship, Lady Tsunade, you mean marriage, correct?"

Tsunade grit her teeth in old embitterment, still unable to recover from the fact that _her _student, of all people, had to run off and wed an Akatsuki member. "Yes, that is correct." A gratified look washed over the goateed ninja's face before the emotionless mask replaced it once more.

"It has been futile to attempt a retrieval mission over the last three years and I was contemplating the notion of forsaking it for good until I received some disturbing news from an outside source." Fixating her immobilizing gaze on the inhabitants in the room, she took a deep breath before finishing the statement she predicted would stun every kuniochi and male shinobi in the room.

"I was contacted by Kita no Sōmeihoshi**(1)**."

Gasps filled their air and even the motionless ANBU appeared to be slightly daunted by their Hokage's words. Questioning looks instantly popped up on every shinobi's face, the one, and identical thought written all over: _What did she say? _

Kita no Sōmeihoshi was mystic but not just any old mystic. She had the Sight, as it was named, and could see through events or obstacles of the future better than any other mystic, prophet, or soothsayer. With her power, she could foresee and interpret the future, see past the dense, nebulous mist that shrouded the ambiguous figures of a person's potential future. She was the one who foresaw the attack of Kyübi and alerted the Fourth Hokage. She also was the one who warned the Kohona council that a "great, black cloud hovers over the Uchiha clan" and that "they will bring their own downfall upon themselves" and "instigate a carnage of untimely bloodshed". That time, her words went unheeded and the Uchiha clan paid for their folly with heavy, fatal consequences. A week later, the legendary Uchiha Massacre was established, done by one of their own-Uchiha Itachi, the excelling, prodigious heir to the clan.

No one turned a deaf ear on Kita no Sōmeihoshi's claims again after that.

It was also stated that Tsunade learned much of her herbal knowledge from Sōmeihoshi, for the female mystic gathered her herbs and flowers for her many mystical rituals, potions, brews, and the ancient art of healing. She rarely presented herself to Kohona, but when she did it was either for good or for ill. In this case, the female Sannin hinted the news was not full of rainbows and butterflies.

"Kita-sama, you can come in now." Tsunade said grimly and everyone heads whipped around to the door standing forebodingly in the back. The door opened partially ajar, evoking an eerie wailing sound from the door's hinges. Soft, barely audible footsteps patted through, revealing a gnarled, excessively wrinkled old woman whose weathered skin seemed to be tailored of out old, coarse leather in the color of terra cotta. A shabby, frayed powder blue cloak was wrapped around her body and a periwinkle shawl was draped around her shoulders, covering the backside of her frizzy, pepper speckled hair. Pouches and sacks containing all her necessities were strapped around her form, peeking out from the seedy cloak's opening. She wore no shoes therefore her feet were filthy and covered in calluses. Her yellow, cracked toenails made her shriveled feet look even more unkempt. Kita no Sōmeihoshi did not halt her slow, mesmerizing pace till she reached the end of the pathway, facing Tsunade's desk a few feet away. Her cloudy, light grey eyes narrowed sharply at the Fifth Hokage, as if she was analyzing ever little detail and movement of the slug queen.

"You called, Lady Tsunade?" croaked out the old mystic, wringing her bony, knobby hands together. Tsunade stared professionally at the old woman and cleared her throat prior to speaking again.

"Tell us about the vision you last night." Sōmeihoshi's eyes bulged out briefly before shrinking back into their sockets. She rewrapped the tattered, mildly lucent shawl around her slender, huddled frame, eyeing Tsunade curiously while at it.

"Are you sure?" Tsunade nodded gravely.

"Completely. That's the sole reason why I assembled this meeting."

"As you wish, then."

Sōmeihoshi wearily turned around to face the endless sea of shinobi faces. She closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply, exhaling it after three seconds. Abruptly, her eyes snapped open wide and they were now a sickly green color.

"Billowing smoke fills the sky…gluttonous flames engulfs the Leaf Village…violence and affright ravages the people…dying screams of the fallen echo into the suffocating, ill-begotten air." She paused dramatically, then resumed her predication. "A symphony is played, sweeping across the remainders of the demolished city…sounding the finale of the life in a place hidden in leaves…while cherry blossoms aligned in blood float buoyantly through the wind and onto the wreckages. Golden eyes in the stormy sky watch the damage from above…bloody clouds attached to strings roll into view…shrouding Kohona in a wave of eternal darkness."

She then closed her eyes once more and reopened them, her pale sage eyes replaced their original metallic gray color.

"That is all that I can see." finished Sōmeihoshi placidly. Kurenai dubiously raised her hand up, her questioning maroon eyes darting back and forth from Tsunade and Sōmeihoshi.

"Yes, Kurenai?" said the blonde, female Hokage, her well-manicured nails idly tapping the woodwork of her polished elm desk.

"What does all of this mean? I gather that something, or someone, is conspiring for Kohona's destruction but…what do all these other images symbolize?" asked the genjutsu specialist.

Tsunade glanced over to Sōmeihoshi, who nodded with fathom.

"It is understandable if my predication confuses you, the art of premonitions is quite a complicated gift." Sōmeihoshi smiled wryly at this. Perhaps she was reminiscing some distant memories that proved her statement concerning the complexity of the Sight. "I will explain what each and every symbol in my premonition denotes.

As you already identified, Kurenai-san, the smoke and fire results to Kohona's destruction, possibly for good. The violence and the terror, the cries of the fallen and dying amplify this. The symphony and its 'sound' assault that I mentioned is, in fact, Oto."

Hushed whispers and soft-tone exclamations caused Sōmeihoshi to falter sparingly, yet only for a brief second. Piercing all the talking shinobis with her icy, thoroughly agitated glare, the conversations came to a screeching halt and the guilty speakers looked up at her with apprehension.

"Before I continue, I would like to remind you all that I will not accept any further interruption on my behalf or in my presence, especially when my mouth is still moving. Can any of you knuckleheads comprehend that?"

"Hai, Kita-sama!" chorused the room back at her and Sōmeihoshi's features appeared to be mildly content.

"Let's try this again. From the symphony and its sounding the finality of Leaf's existence, it is clear Oto will be the primary reason of Kohona's tragic downfall. However, these cherry blossoms petals coated in blood is certainly intriguing—"

"Sakura." Tsunade whispered hoarsely. Sōmeihoshi tilted her head at the Hokage's direction, acknowledgement sparkling in her eyes.

"Are you referring to your ex-apprentice, Haruno Sakura?" asked the withered mystic. Tsunade nodded ruefully, her hands curling up into fists all over again. "Ah, now that makes perfect sense."

The blonde-haired Sannin stared at her perplexingly, her questions written plain as day on her face. Sōmeihoshi chuckled bitterly and returned to her explanation, leaving all the Hokage's inquires unanswered for the time being.

"Haruno Sakura is the cherry blossoms; after all, that is what her names signify. The appearance of the bloodied cherry blossoms represents that she has some role in the Leaf Village's demise, though how I do not know. As for the golden eyes…I believe they are connected with Sound thus those eyes must belong to Orochimaru, which probably interprets that he will watch this village fall as solid proof his dream has been carried out successfully. The red clouds in the sky hint some Akatsuki involvement and again, I am not fully certain on this symbol either. Curiously enough, the clouds are attached by strings…."

Realization lit up in the honey-brown eyes of the Fifth. "Akasuna no Sasori!"

Sōmeihoshi's arched a wispy, speckled eyebrow. "The Scourge of Suna? The mighty puppet master of the Akatsuki? Isn't he dead?"

Tsunade nodded. "Yes, but he and Sakura had a son together and it wouldn't be at all implausible if the son develops some of his father's talents."

A thoughtful expression emerged on Sōmeihoshi's face. "It's possible…. Orochimaru maybe the main factor towards Leaf's untimely fate but it appears Haruno, her son, and the Akatsuki might be assisting behind the scenes."

"That could be. Thank you for your time and help, Kita-sama, I greatly appreciate it." She dipped her head deeply and Sōmeihoshi repeated the same action, only she bent her body as well, making it seem more like a well-rehearsed bow.

"It has been my pleasure, Lady Tsunade." Sōmeihoshi replied politely and exited the room with her usual laggard yet sublime grace. When the door was firmly closed shut only then did Tsunade speak again.

"That is why I have called all of you here today. To find Haruno Sakura and her son at all costs and bring them back, unspoiled. If worse comes to worst, I give you full permission to dispatch Haruno Sakura, it doesn't matter if she returns to me dead or alive. It is her son, Shinkustuki, who must return unscathed. If the child is harmed in any way the penalties will be _extremely _severe. Do I make myself clear?"

"Hai."

"Good. More of your mission briefings have already been dispatched to your homes. Do not open the scroll in the presence of others-unless they are on your assigned team-and do not discuss the information contained in those scrolls amongst yourselves, in case a passerby who happens to hear it is a civilian, a genin, or someone who has been excluded from this vital gathering." More nods followed and she dismissed them with a wave of her hand. One by one they filed out of the room till Shizune was the last ninja residing in the region with her.

"Lady Tsunade? Do you need anything?" The said medic-nin shook her head absentmindedly, her attention focused somewhere else. Noticing her mentor's lack of response, Shizune proceed on over to her brooding Hokage. "Lady Tsunade, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Shizune. I'm just wondering if this mission will succeed or not." Shizune nodded but bit her lip, debating on whether to hold her tongue or speak her mind.

"Do you think it was wise…not to invite them?"

Tsunade jerked her head up, boring her harden eyes into the wary ones of the dark-haired medic. She knew exactly who Shizune meant by 'them'.

"Why do you say that, Shizune?"

Unable to restrain herself any further, Shizune blurted out her true feelings. "Because they are Sakura's friends! If it's anyone who should know about her, it's them!"

"That is precisely why I didn't permit them to come!" Shizune flinched at the sound of Tsunade's fist pounding the desk's surface. "If they were in the meeting there is no doubt in my mind that they would have objected! I'm issuing the mandate to _kill _Sakura if necessary and kidnap her son, for the preservation of this village!" Her intense, contemptuous glower was solely aimed at Shizune, who in return, stood her ground and defiantly glared back.

"But do you think it was prudent to allow Anko into the meeting and assigned her to this vital mission?" Sighing, Tsunade allowed herself to lean back in her reclining chair and rubbed her temples with her fingers, detecting exactly where this conversation was heading towards.

"I know of Anko's bitter vendetta against Sakura but I took the liberty of adding in her mission scroll that she should not let her emotions affect her duty as a Leaf shinobi or the progress of the operation if she happens to catch a glimpse of Sakura."

Tsunade glanced repentantly over to Shizune, watching the glorious horizon from the window behind her. She sighed wistfully at the exuberance displayed outside, fathoming the darkness that was yet to come.

"Kami-sama apprehends how hard his death hit Anko…and Sakura's escape added the insult to the injury. Heaven knows what is going through her mind right now…."

* * *

Amethyst petals danced wildly through the air, encircling a sober walking kuniochi. In her arms she carried a bouquet of forget-me-nots, hugged tightly to her chest. Her footsteps were dragged yet alert, her body tight but emotionally fatigued. She had always felt like this every time she began her walk to the monument, always sensed the clutching, moaning motion of her beating heart. It would get only worse once she reaches her destination, sets the flowers down, and traces the engraved markings of his beautifully carved name. 

Anko fiercely journeyed forward, comprehending wholly how long she has been doing this and battling her inner sorrows and tormenting jeremiads. Three years, it has been. Three long, difficult years of relentless hardship, years without him. Three years all alone without her lover beside her.

She had pondered why they had decided to hook-up in the first place; the whole notion of them getting together-and _staying _together-was simply ludicrous. After all, he was notoriously known as a lady-killer and having longer-lasting relationships with the hospital than a female of his interest. He had _flings, _not relationships, yet he thought otherwise when it came to her. Anko remembered laughing at that moment, when he told her at one of the clubs they were at that he was interested more than a one-night stand with her.

"_**Believe it or not, Anko, I want something a little more serious between us." **_

_**She took the opportunity to sputter out the remaining beer in her mouth and finish her cackling. "'Serious'? You got to be kidding me! What would one of Kohona's leading top bachelors responsible for countless of broken hearts want something **_**more **_**with me than one night?" **_

Of course he cockily replied that a woman such as herself should be flattered that he wanted to develop some sort of mature relationship with her. He also just had to wittily point her previous lecherous activities and say why would Kohona's most sex-addict kuniochi be hesitant to form the relation with someone sexually prone as she was?

"_**Look at it this way. We prove everyone wrong that we **_**can **_**create a genuine relation with one another and have an immense quantity of sex." He grinned smugly at her, his senbon needle flicking up and down. **_

Naturally, she accepted his "challenge" and the two of them started dating. At first, neither one of them expected it to last for about a month; this was just an experiment to see if they could actually hold a partially lasting partnership with someone of the opposite gender. Slowly, one month become two, two three, three four, and before they knew it, it had been a year and the inconceivable occurred between them.

They had fallen in love with each other.

"_**Dammit, Genma, this is all your fault!" **_

"_**My fault? How is it my fault?!"**_

"_**Because if you hadn't asked me out a year ago, this wouldn't have happened!"**_

"_**And that's bad because….?"**_

"_**Damn you! Damn your stupid senbon needle, too!"**_

"_**What's my senbon got to do with our predicament?" **_

Anko's pace abruptly stopped, for she realized she was at her destination sooner than she thought. Gently placing the forget-me-nots beside the memorial, the impulsive snake wielder clasped her hands in a prayer. Visiting his grave over and over again did nothing to mitigate her burning yearning for him, her simple, aching desire to see him again, to feel his touch on her flesh once more, to have themselves entwined in a lover's embrace like on the day before he left for his mission to retrieve Haruno Sakura from the Akastuki's grasp.

Haruno Sakura. That pink-haired traitor. That treacherous, cold-hearted **bitch**!

"_**Let me go!" screamed Anko as she struggled against the hold of two jounins. Her ebony eyes glared murderously at the shackled medic before her, the prisoner's emotionless viridian eyes unblinking. **_

"_**Calm down, Anko!" cried out one of the guards but Anko ignored his plea. All she craved was to break free from the two men's grip, storm on over to that roseate-haired demon, and butcher her with her own to hands. **_

"_**Sakura, you filthy, callous traitor! How could you do it?! You knew him, for Kami's sake!" **_

_**Sakura made no sign of acknowledgement to Anko's anguished demands, she just continued to stare directly at the struggling forms of the devastated kuniochi and the exasperated guards with the same hollow, bland expression across her face. This negligence to answer only fueled the despisal and ire in Anko's heart incalculably. **_

"_**Don't you dare ignore me, you disgusting bitch! Answer my question!" she shrieked venomously. **_

"_**I don't think you would want to hear the answer, Anko," Sakura replied monotonously, her eyes never waving from their target. **_

_**Anko fought harder against the two men, desperate for an answer. "Yes, I do!" she cried out despairingly, "I want to know why!" **_

_**Sakura nodded reluctantly, her lips constructed in thin, tight line. "Alright then, but don't say I didn't warn you." **_

"_**I won't!" she hissed through clenched teeth. **_

"_**Very well then. I killed Genma because I had to. He was my enemy, one of the murderers of my beloved. As a shinobi you never know when your life will end or someone close to you will die. I do believe Genma warned you of the possibility of him not returning beforehand, correct?" **_

_**Angry tears stung her eyes but she blinked them back. "That's it? That's the reason why you killed him?" **_

_**Sakura nodded again but this time, a bitter smile graced her features. **_

"_**It was kill or be killed, simple as that."**_

_**It took every ounce of the two shinobi's strength to prevent Anko from lashing out at the imprisoned kuniochi and slaughtering her on the spot. **_

"_**SAKURA! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!"**_

"_**No, I suppose you won't," Sakura remarked indifferently. The two guards eventually began dragging Anko out of the prison, doing their best to elude the grief-stricken chuunin examiner's blows to their vulnerable bodies.**_

"_**I WILL KILL YOU!" **_

_**The door was promptly shut in front of her, sealing off any more sights with the lone female Akatsuki member Anko had grown to loathe for such a brief time span. **_

**Mark my words, Sakura, I will do everything in power to have you die in my hands! If I can't do it, then let the law carry out your death for me!**

Anko affectionately traced the sculpted symbols, her fingers running through each letter of her lover's name: _Shiranui __Genma._

"Here I am, Genma, back to visit you again." She chuckled emptily and went on. "I have mission tomorrow, you know, and guess who I'm going after?" Pausing, she looked down at her sandals prior to averting her gaze back on monument.

"Yeah, you got it. It's Sakura. The Hokage stated I couldn't go after Sakura if she was in sight and immediately attempt in killing her if there's a possible method of bringing her back alive. But I don't want her alive, I want her _dead. _And I am going to whatever it takes to do so, even if means defying the Hokage's orders and jeopardizing the mission. I'll do it all for you, Genma." She leaned forward and kissed the glacial, smooth letters that are forever etched in the obsidian stone…and in her tortured heart.

"Only for you." she whispered.

* * *

"Here I am. Otogakure." 

'_Home to the trickiest, most powerful snake ever to exist!'_

Inwardly agreeing with her inner self, Sakura jumped down the from the tree and ascend into the shadows of the village, her coverage provided by the darkness of the night. The genjutsu on her bell was executing properly; none of the Sound ninjas seemed to be aware of her presence.

_Easier for me to infiltrate Orochimaru's lab and gain any insight of how to revive the dead. _

'_It unfortunately won't be lenient to find, this is Orochimaru we're talking about!'_

_That is precisely why we should tread with caution._

'_Aw, you're such a killjoy.'_

_...Which is one of the reasons why I'm still alive. _

Sakura sprung up onto one of rooftops, silently hopping from each oncoming roof in hopes of finding Orochimaru's secret lair. Using her chakra senses, Sakura halted her movements and searched the area around her, trying to detect either Orochimaru or Kabuto's chakra. They were in their village, after all, so what would give them reason to hide their chakra?

Suddenly, Kabuto's chakra spiked up nearby and she followed its trail, hoping that the silver-haired medic would lead her to what she came here for and not noticed her masked chakra at all.

'_You do know that's highly unlikely for either of those to happen, right?'_

_Oh, shut up and go away. I'm busy right now. _

Inner Sakura sniffed, feigning deep hurt. _'Fine, by that way, Sakura.' _Then she was gone, probably waiting for the next opportune moment to strike and irk Sakura again.

Sakura watched Kabuto head inside a building, locking the doors behind him with his chakra. She smirked triumphantly at his set of actions. _Bingo._ She zoned in closer on the mysterious building until she could spy on him through the screened windows. Her eyes attentively followed Kabuto's movements, anticipating which directions he would take. Finally, the silver pony-tailed head swerved to the left and vanished completely into the unknown. Cursing, Sakura surveyed the perimeter of the building and scouted the area to see of there were any openings for her to break into.

_They're not that stupid to…leave a window open?_

Sure enough, right in the back of the building, was a barely ajar window, adjacent to the right hand corner. Blinking at her blatant luck in disbelief, Sakura proceed to deftly wedged open the window without a sound. Once the window was successfully open and she finished scanning and double-checking the room in front of her for any traps, Sakura gracefully slipped through the windowsill with ease. As soon as her feet touched the floor, the Akatsuki kuniochi instantly perceived something was wrong.

"Hello, Sakura." The words of her former village's old nemesis confirmed her suspicions. They found her.

"Hello yourself, Orochimaru," answered Sakura curtly, turning her body around to face him in a official manner. "I expected to find you here."

Orochimaru laughed darkly, a regaled expression flickering across his pale, menacing silhouette. Sakura then noticed that the lights had been switched on and Kabuto was somehow at his master's right hand side, shifting his glasses up in that taunting habit of his.

"Pleasure to see you too, Kabuto." Kabuto smiled falsely at her neutral greeting.

"Likewise, Sakura-san."

_Since when did he call me _that?!

"Let's skip pleasantries and get down to business. I presume you know why I'm here." Orochimaru nodded, soberness rapidly washing over him.

"You want revive Sasori on your own. But if I had allowed you rummage around here and look for answers, you would eventually discover I am the only one who can possibly assist you on your quest."

_They knew I was coming all along! How is that freaking possible?!_

'_Don't ask me, how should I know?' _

"No need to act so shock, Sakura. I did plenty of researching and spying." explained Kabuto matter-of-factly.

"Figures." she mumbled and Kabuto offered her one his innocent grins she knew better then to trust. Focusing her attention back onto Orochimaru, Sakura began the process that she knew would alter her life forever if she chose to accept Orochimaru's conditions.

"Let me guess, you will agree to revive Sasori in exchange for me to heal your arms."

"Correct."

Sakura sighed exasperatedly, wondering if this next decision was the right one. She _had_ to see Sasori again, he _had _come back alive and at last see Shinkutsuki, their son! Sakura knew if she managed to heal his arms-which she undoubtedly will!-he would finish his goal of effacing Kohona once and for all. It wasn't like she cared what happened to the village; she severed her ties from it long ago, for Sasori. What she was more concerned about was the safety of her friends: Naruto, Ino, and Kakashi. She did not want to inadvertently cause their deaths during Leaf's annihilation….

'_They can look after themselves, can't they? I mean, there is no way they would go down that easily, and besides, you can also come in at the last minute and save them!'_

_I could do that…._

Snapping her gaze back up at the two waiting Oto shinobis, her confident aura returned, Sakura allowed a ghost of a smile to graze her lips prior to disappearing quickly as it came. She has her answer now, for sure. She is hundred percent positive this was what she wanted to do and there will be no regrets afterward.

_This is for you, Sori-kun, and Shinkutsuki. _

"Offer accepted."

* * *

_**I guess you didn't know it, boy**_

_**I'm a fiddle player, too**_

_**And if you care to take a dare**_

_**Well, I'll make a bet with you**_

_**Now, you play pretty good fiddle, boy**_

_**But give the Devil his due**_

_**I'll bet this fiddle of gold against your soul**_

**_'Cause I think I'm better than you _**

* * *

Well, how was chapter two? Getting better hopefully? I hope it was fast-pacing enough; I was aiming to have plenty going on in this chapter. The Genma/Anko kind of took me by surprise as well, for I simply didn't plan its appearance. The idea of having from a Leaf shinobi bearing a grudge against Sakura popped into my mind and I thought it would be neat to include it within all the other troubles Sakura will be facing. Anko was my first choice, since there wasn't really anyone better that came in mind, and I wanted the person to have come sort of relation to Gemna because he was the only known character Sakura killed amongst the sea of faceless ANBU. Thus, Anko become the perfect candidate. 

On a much gigantic, dissimilar topic…. Wow, look at all these reviews! I'm glad so many people not only reviewed, but checked out **Till Death Due Us Apart** and this story. Thanks to: when.my.eyes.meet.yours., Icecream Skittles Addict, shortyblonde, overlordofnobodies, Leana Mee, Annaka Uchinni, Cster, Gothic Saku-chan, Kisame55, greenteamoose, and Jess Ishtar. I really appreciate all your reviews!

**(1) **Kita no Sōmeihoshi- together it means "wise star of the north" (I think). Kita-north, sōmei-wise, hoshi-star.

_**----SpeedDemon315**_


	3. Chapter 3: Tsunade's Red Herring

_Bringing Back What's Dead_

**Chapter 3:**

Tsunade's Red Herring

**Summary: **Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? SakuraxSasori

Text:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

'_Inner Sakura'_

_**Flashback/Lyrics**_

Music/Songs:

"Everybody's Fool" by Evanescence

**Disclaimer: This one better not is supplanted like last time…grrr…. In order to protect my hide I fully and constitutionally declare that, I, SpeedDemon315, do not, own Naruto or "Everybody's Fool" by Evanescence. **

* * *

_**Perfect by nature**_

_**Icons of self indulgence**_

_**Just what we all need**_

_**More lies about our world that**_

_**Never was and never will be**_

_**Have you no shame don't you see me**_

**_You know you've got everybody fooled _**

* * *

"An S-rank mission? Really?!" exclaimed a vociferous, overly enthusiastic spiky blonde to the busty woman in front of him. "Finally, a mission after all this sitting around and doing nothing!" 

"More like sitting around and eating ramen," remarked a slouched, masked ninja whose silver hair marvelously defied gravity. A blinding, crude orange book laid 'innocently' closed in one hand.

"Another S-rank mission? So troublesome." muttered the third member, titling his pony-tailed head upward to gaze drearily at the birch furnished ceiling.

Ignoring the three men's comments, Tsunade handed them each of them their own personal scroll. "This is your information regarding the mission. It will be, no doubt, exceptionally perilous and there is a notable high chance of any you being killed in action. In addition to that, you will be away for four months. Shikamaru will be the captain in this mission." _Hopefully that gives the ANBU plenty of time to track down Sakura and her son and bring them safely back to Kohona before those three return from this prudently crafted mission. If they knew what the true intention of this mission was…they'd have a fit._

"Risking our necks again? And being captain as well? How troublesome." Shikamaru grumbled but it was evident he would comply with the Hokage's demands in the long run. Naruto kept on bouncing off the walls, horribly thrilled about their new mission and the excessive danger it would bring. Kakashi just pocketed his scroll and flipped _Icha Icha Paradise _open to the previous page he had been reading, behaving in his usual aloof, casual manner.

"Can we leave now, Tsunade?" he drawled out, eyes never leaving the page, "Naruto here is going to lose it and trash your office with his bottomless exuberance."

"Huh?" The said orange clad shinobi halted his potential hazardous movements. "I'm not going to do anything with Baa-chan's office with my exu-what'sitcalled?"

Prior to Kakashi could explain the meaning of the word 'exuberance' the seething blonde-haired Hokage had erstwhile smacked Naruto through the wall and into the walls subsequent to it. No matter how many hits she would deliver to him Uzumaki Naruto would never learn.

Some entities were just lost cause.

Tsunade retracted her arm, her professional hazel eyes staring intently at the two remaining men who were slouching up against the undamaged section of the room. With a tilt of her head, she stated, "You leave tonight. Dismissed."

The two shinobi wordlessly departed, going off to find where Naruto ended up and pack for the mission that would require them to leave in six hours time. Once Tsunade checked their chakra signatures and was assured that they were gone and out of hearing range, she summoned Shizune to her side.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade?"

"Get me Nara Ino immediately. I have a mission for her."

* * *

"Kakashi-san." 

The silver-haired jounin shifted his head to the speaker. "Yes, Shikamaru?"

"Did you perceive the subterfuge in our mission?"

There was the sonance of a flimsy piece of paper being turned. "And if I did?"

"You know this is her method of ridding us from…something much larger than life, so to speak." The shadow-wielding shinobi stopped his walking to face the Copy-nin. "The meeting we were excluded from…it was about Sakura, wasn't it?"

"Perhaps," came the blunt reply and another crackling page was flipped. Shaking his head incredulously, an amused smile graced itself across Shikamaru's demeanor. Hatake Kakashi knew more than he was letting on.

"We'll discuss this more of this later, when we leave for our mission. Right now we need to find Naruto-wherever in Kami's name he may be."

Kakashi tore his nose away from his lecherous book, a somewhat entertained expression on his face. "Try Ichiraku first. He could have recovered from Tsunade's punch and made his way there to soothe the pain. If he's not there, then try his apartment."

Shikamaru nodded firmly. "Alright. Remember, Kakashi-san, we meet at the gates at ten o' clock sharp—"

"I know, I know. Don't be late." Without another word, the partially masked ninja 'poofed' from his location, leaving the sluggard genius of Kohona alone.

"Actually, I was going to say _'try not to be so late' _but whatever," he muttered, mostly to himself than at spot where Kakashi was previously standing. "And now I have to search for loudmouth Naruto. Why did I have to be selected for this mission? It's much too troublesome." At this, he made a few hand signs and 'poofed' out of the building as well, preferably to hunt for a certain Kyuubi container whose presence was unknown at the moment.

* * *

It is fair, reasonably pleasant day in the main Akatsuki base. There is a crisp, tranquil, quiet aura in the air and overall, the members' daily routine seemed to be going along quite smoothly. Sakura hadn't returned from her trip last night but that was to be expected. She had stated in her letter (after the exorbitantly gigantic and painstaking didactics for Shinkutsuki and his well-being) to the members that it was ambiguous when she'd be back but she assured them she would send them another letter to keep them update on her whereabouts and such. 

Translation for the Akatsuki members: Baby-sitting a three-going-on-four-year-old for who-knows-how-long. Oh, the excitement! How long could this serene bliss potentially last?

"Oji-san**(1)**! Kisame-oji!" screeched a raspberry-headed toddler. The blue-skinned, shark-esque man appeared from a doorway, arching a blue eyebrow at the three-year-old sprinting towards him.

"Eh, what, kid?"

"Kisame-oji, Deidara-oji doesn't believe me!" pouted Shinkutsuki, crossing his arms irefully.

"Doesn't believe what?" Kisame asked gruffly though his expression softens a bit at the adorable charm of the little boy. He didn't know why, but ever since Sakura brought her son to the base Kisame had always developed a soft side for the boy. He wasn't the only one, the same goes for the rest of the members. Especially Tobi. That masked weirdo couldn't say no to the kid. Then again, he couldn't really say no to anyone even if he tried with all his heart.

Kisame squatted down to match his eye level with Shinkutsuki's, a regaled, toothy grin displayed on his lips.

"He doesn't believe art is eternal! He thinks it's a bang!" proclaimed Shinkutsuki, jutting his chin up in a stubborn, defiant fashion, "But Deidara-oji's wrong! Art supposed to last forever, that's what true beauty is all about. That's what okāsan**(2) **tells me!"

A deep, throaty laugh erupted from the gullet of Kisame's mouth and he tousled Shinkutsuki's wavy scarlet hair with affection. Even Sasori's belief in art was passed down to his offspring!

_Deidara must be flipping his lid right now. He probably thought he could indoctrinate his partner's son to his artistic credence. Sakura might have told the little squirt about his dad's ideas of art to annoy the hell out of Deidara._

"Don't fret over it, Shinkutsuki. Deidara can be very…_passionate _about his notions of art and is willing to do just about anything to prove his way is the right way." he explained to Shinkutsuki simply. He gave the toddler a knowing wink before adding, "Even if he's indeed wrong."

"That's not true, un! Art's a bang and you know it, yeah!"

Shinkutsuki whirled around to face the owner of the voice while Kisame just lazily lifted his head up to meet the gaze of the explosive artist of the Akatsuki. Boldly, Shinkutsuki pointed an accusing finger at Deidara, his infant face full of innocent resolution and his large, bright green eyes flashing fiercely at the long-haired blonde clay user.

"Oji-san! Art's eternal! Not a bang!" he cried out. Deidara narrowed his eyes at the furious toddler.

"Nothing lasts forever, Shinkutsuki, un! Art's a bang, yeah!" Deidara shouted back with equal fervor. Shinkutsuki walked up to him and glowered intensely at his 'oji-san'.

"No, it's not!"

Deidara snorted. "Yes, it is, yeah. You're too young to comprehend the true meaning of art so you have no idea what you're talking about, un."

Kisame was mustering up all his self-control in _not _to collapse on the floor in fit of laughter from the comical exchange between a three-year-old and full-grown S-class criminal. _Deidara, do you realize how completely idiotic you look at the moment?! If the others were here, they'd be laughing their asses off! Even _Itachi_ would smirking at your hysterical, childish actions. Wait till Sakura hears about this! _

"…Kisame-oji agrees with me! Right, Kisame-oji?"

Two heads, one blonde, the other raspberry, snapped at his direction. The said shark shinobi stared puzzlingly at the two pairs of eyes looking rather insanely at him. What were those two debating about while he was lost in his thoughts?

"Sorry, but what exactly did I miss?"

* * *

Sakura, at first, thought her temporary move into one of Orochimaru's lairs would be wholly bothersome but it turned out the snake Sannin had the entire plan mapped out quite efficiently. There was a small but elaborate base a couple of miles off to Oto and he stationed her lab and workplace inside it. She was free to roam around the domain and was guarantied full access to any research material that could benefit her findings for Orochimaru's arms. Kabuto offered to assist her, if needed, and she gladly accepted, knowing two heads working on this project were better than one. Orochimaru said he would popping in from time to time to see how they were progressing and will come as quickly as he could if they needed him for anything. 

"Just don't expect anything to happen overnight," Sakura warned him lightly and he had walked out with a small chuckle. It had only been a few hours and already Sakura was on somewhat friendly terms with Kabuto and Orochimaru. It was bizarre yet understandable, for she was part of a criminal organization, after all. She supposed she and the two Sound shinobi were a bit similar, considering they all were ex-Kohona ninjas and had countless of people cursing their names or hunting them down. Though it still amazed her how refined and hospitable the two men could be, all those flagrant rumors certainly slandered them to the extreme.

Gazing down methodically at the scrolls, books, and files strewn all over her desk, Sakura began separating the materials by category and subject. She placed all the files concerning Orochimaru's past and present health and condition together, making a mental note to read them after her organization. Information about chakra in general (like chakra flow, chakra points, chakra gates, etc) went to one pile, Kabuto's notes and theories were marshaled into another heap, medical references with possibly similar cases to Orochimaru's were sorted in a third lummox, and the miscellaneous items were stacked in a fourth mound.

Sakura glanced at her digital watch on her right hand, the segmented numbers flashing portentously at her. 12:41 PM. Sighing at this, she raked a hand through her slightly ruffled roseate hair, contemplating her next course of action. Of course, she couldn't be away from her son for long, he would eventually need her as a comfortable assurance that her presence is still around. Hopefully, Shinkutsuki's 'oji-sans' will keep in busy enough till the point of exhaustion. If Shinkutsuki is too fatigue to whine on who puts him to sleep then perhaps, just perhaps, he won't instinctively realize her interim absence.

"Kabuto?" she called out. As if it was his cue, the said medic-nin materialized from the shadows, shifting his glasses off the bridge of his nose again.

"Yes, Sakura-san?" he replied earnestly.

"As you probably uncovered, I have a son back in the Akatsuki and I—" Kabuto waved is hand in an act of dismissal and she broke off convolutedly.

"Don't worry about it, Sakura-san," he began benignly, "Lord Orochimaru and I know you must return to the Akatsuki base from time to time to check up on Shinkutsuki so we have been prepared for your consistent trips back and forth from here to the Akatsuki headquarters. I created a jutsu that can be used to 'teleport' you nearby this secluded facility so no valuable time is wasted from traveling."

Sakura arched an incredulous eyebrow at Kabuto, her consternation steadily inclining.

"It sounds like you two have been scheming ahead of time for my arrival, like you _knew _I would accept Orochimaru's proffer," she remarked in an accusing tone. Kabuto grinned sincerely to her, an amused glint in his eye.

"What can I say, Sakura-san? I did my research well." he replied cryptically and Sakura shook her head, a half-smile grazing her lips.

"I suppose you did." Setting the papers aside, she turned towards him. "Best show me the jutsu now, Kabuto, before I really get to work. I want to be able to reach the headquarters before evening settles in tomorrow."

Kabuto nodded. "Of course, Sakura-san." With that, his arm rose and shifted his glasses upward once more, light bouncing of the lenses in its trademark fashion. "Here, let me show you the beginning signs…."

* * *

Ino could hardly contain her jubilance. "A mission, just for me, after all this time?!" she exclaimed excitedly, hopping anxiously on the balls of her feet. Tsunade nodded solemnly, a tiny but concealed smile shadowing her features. 

"That is correct, Ino. It will be a solo B-ranked mission but it should prove to quite lenient seeing to the fact the risk is extremely low and all you will be doing is obtaining a scroll from the Kage of Cloud that should be of little use or value to any rouge ninjas on the prowl."

"Alright! When do I leave, Tsunade-sama?"

"Tomorrow. The journey will be elongate and tedious so pack light and well, Ino. I don't know how many weeks exactly it will be but it may range from one to three depending on the condition and safety of the road."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama! I won't let you down! I shall return with success!" cried out the blonde kuniochi. Eagerly grabbing the scroll, Ino merrily skipped out of the room, erstwhile lost in her own mirthful thoughts and gaiety. When she closed the door behind, Tsunade's smiling lips curled up into a satisfied yet malicious sneer.

"I'll see to it that you won't, Nara Ino," muttered the Fifth Hokage darkly, "after all, in order to lure Sakura to me and my hunting teams you must have a little, misfortunate…_accident._"

The sneer rapidly vanishing at it appeared Tsunade meticulous wrote a letter to Cloud's Kage, delivering him some didactics in how to deal with Ino once she approaches and crosses Cloud territory. Once the message was complete, she bade for the swiftest messenger bird to her side and knotted the rolled-up paper to the hawk's ankle. She then ordered the bird to head for the Cloud Village and it instantly took off, its mahogany feathered wings flapping gracefully through the air. The blonde Hokage leaned back in her chair, sighing with relief. Now that second phase of her grand schism was complete she could finally have a little leisure before activating the third portion of her stratagem to capture Sakura and her son into motion. In Tsunade's world, a bit of relaxation means….

"Sake time!" cheered the voluptuous slug Sannin and she quickly unearthed her hidden trove of sake bottles waiting circumspectly in the dark for her. There was much celebration for the Hokage as she gluttonously gorged herself the blissfully numbing and intoxicating splendors of the tan alcoholic beverage.

In the distance, the messenger bird continued its path to Cloud, wings deftly slicing the tension in the air, the letter fastened securely to its delicate leg. It is the letter that would spell impending doom for the unsuspecting Nara Ino on her upcoming mission to the mighty Cloud Village.

* * *

Muffled footsteps of bare feet reverberated in the vacant cemetery, a huddled and tawdry draped figure slowly weaving through the gravestones. Frizzy, pepper speckled hair poked out of the old woman's shawl, emitting a particularly untamed, fierce mystique in the old lady. 

It had been many a month since Kita no Sōmeihoshi last visited this place, a place where she came to reconcile her thoughts to her beloved, may Kami-sama keep him safe. The search took awhile but Sōmeihoshi eventually found her husband's, twenty rows in the back, ninth to the right. Squatting placidly at the foot of the sleek, white marble grave, the old mystic gazing with sorrowful fondness at the crudely engraved words on the lustrous slab.

_Oojitsu Suruo _

_1922-1957_

_A shinobi of Iwagakure_

_-Beloved Husband and Father-_

_No matter where the winds take you, my love, you will always have a special place residing in my heart._

Tracing the letters half-heartedly, Sōmeihoshi smiled nostalgically in remembrance of her once upon time lover. It is bitter irony that he should be buried here, in the very village that claimed his life, instead of Iwa, his native village. It was the war long ago between her village and his that brought them together and befittingly enough tore them apart in the end. Desperate to insure her safety, Suruo deserted his position as an Iwa shinobi and together, they fled to her wicker cottage in the outskirts of Kohona, believing they would be safe there until the raging war comes to a close. Or so they thought.

After a year of solitude, Leaf ninjas infiltrated her home and imprisoned Suruo, though he claimed he was no longer an Iwa-nin and had nothing against Kohona. They ignored his protests and her pleas. Quicker then one could blink, they executed him right on the spot. She wasn't allowed to be present at the execution, to witness her husband's final moments and look upon his face one more time before death exert its hold on him permanently. Thus she spent the entire day weeping for his death, cursing the Leaf Village and its leaders. Since that day she harbored a strenuous grudge against her own village, shrewdly plotting its downfall. She used her Sight to her advantage, predicting the future but twisting her claims slightly to make it sophistry.

The Kyuubi attack on Kohona? All her doing; the Fourth was one of the main voices who sent Suruo to his grave during his trial so it was gratifying that he perished along with the fox demon. One of her wrongdoers was down for the count.

The infamous Uchiha massacre? Again, all part of her ingenious work. It was she who instigated the prodigious Uchiha Itachi to the untimely bloodshed, revealing all the dirty secrets his clan and Kohona had partook in and covered up their crimes from its inhabitants. It was the corruptness in the village that drove Itachi to the edge (not to mention she slipped a small yet affective concoction into his drink that would insure his reasoning level would snap and he'd do the bloody task thoroughly and to the end). The sparing of Uchiha Sasuke was a minor technicality, a trifle Sōmeihoshi decided not to trouble herself over. Unbeknownst to many, the Uchiha clan was a vigilant group of supporters to Suruo's execution, proclaiming that no Iwa shinobi should be trusted, even if they forsaken their line of duty to coexist peacefully with them. Drugging Itachi until he was besides himself in order to slaughter his entire family was her means of sating her ferocious, consuming vendetta against the Uchiha clan and their actions against her and her husband.

After that incident, Sōmeihoshi shrank back into the shadows, patiently biding her time for the opportune moment to strike again. Such an opportunity arrived two months time from the night of the Uchiha massacre.

"I thought I might find you here."

Sōmeihoshi lifted her head up and shifted it towards the direction of the voice, a half-smile on her mouth.

"Why, Orochimaru, I wasn't expecting you to visit so soon." The said snake Sannin smirked, walking up to Sōmeihoshi and the grave of Oojitsu Suruo. He kneeled down beside the aging, weathered mystic, his calculating golden eyes eyeing the etched words on the tombstone.

"Certain events have caused me to journey here and pay my respects," he began, placing a gorgeous, exotic flower on the gravestone. Sōmeihoshi's shrunken eyes soften tenderly at this sentimental act, maternity expressed in her wrinkled lineaments.

"Was that all you came here for?" she questioned teasingly. Orochimaru shook his head, his trademark sadistic smirk aimed straight at her.

"Oh no. I also wanted to stop by and see how you were handling yourself. So, how have you been, okāsan?"

* * *

_**Look here she comes now**_

_**Bow down and stare in wonder**_

_**Oh how we love you**_

_**No flaws when you're pretending**_

_**But now I know she**_

_**Never was and never will be**_

_**You don't know how you've betrayed me**_

**_And somehow you've got everybody fooled. _**

* * *

Big shocker there, eh? Heh, well Tsunade's turning a bit more malevolent than usual and Sōmeihoshi not so far behind either. I was contemplating Sōmeihoshi's importance in this story and thought it would be great if she furtively nurses a personal grudge against Kohona. At first, it was going to be Kabuto who talks to her but I thought it would far better and more intriguing to have Orochimaru himself and the notion of Sōmeihoshi being his mother soon followed that idea. I do such a fabulous job surprising myself sometimes. 

It seems one way or another, a couple of people are seeking to wreak revenge already: Anko, Sōmeihoshi, Sakura partially…. Hm, I wonder who might be next?

Moving right along, I like to give out an enormous, giant thank you to my readers and: overlordofnobodies, Gothic Saku-chan, greenteamoose, Temarri-No-Sabaku, TsukiharaKitty, Jess Ishtar, Kat Ryuka, Annaka Uchinni, Sabaku no Kurai, and Vesper chan for reviewing. You guys are the greatest, thanks again!

Just as a warning, school is approaching so my updates will be slower (surprise, surprise!). And to continue my irrelevant rant, who else besides me is fuming about Deidara's death? I can't bloody believe Sasuke-of all people!-had to be one to kill him! What the bloody hell was that all about?! Okay, I'm going stop talking right now or I'll _really _start venting. Adieu!

**(1) **oji-san-uncle

**(2) **okāsan-mother

_**----SpeedDemon315**_


	4. Chapter 4: Portentous Circumstances

_Bringing Back What's Dead_

**Chapter 4:**

Portentous Circumstances

**Summary: **Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? (SakuraxSasori)

Text:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

'_Inner Sakura'_

_**Flashback/Lyrics**_

Music/Songs:

"The Wicker Man" by Iron Maiden

**Disclaimer: Seriously, if I have had owned Naruto Sakura would have been in the Akatsuki a long time ago. I don't possess any claims to "The Wicker Man" by Iron Maiden as well.

* * *

**

_**Hand of fate is moving and the finger points to you**_

_**He knocks you to your feet and so what are you gonna do**_

_**Your tongue has frozen now you got something to say**_

_**The piper at the gates of dawn is calling you his way

* * *

**_

Sōmeihoshi smiled wearily at her son's question. "Oh, you know me, Orochimaru. I have my off and on days."

Orochimaru glance backed down at the alabaster grave of Oojitsu Suruo, his eyebrows furrowing. His pale countenance lost their satanical demeanor as his cunning gold eyes shifted away from the tomb of his father to the hunched form of his aged mother.

"Is this one of your 'off' days, okāsan?" he asked quietly, never tearing his inspecting gaze from Sōmeihoshi. The archaic mystic shook her frizzy head languidly, her half-smile remaining on her tan, crinkled visage.

"No…. Surprisingly enough, I'm in one of my 'on' days, my dear musuko**(1)**." She turned to face Orochimaru. "I foresaw you receiving some aid to gain the function of your arms back. I am correct, hai?" The Oto lord nodded briefly.

"Correct as always, okāsan. I managed to convince Haruno Sakura to assist me in healing my arms."

Sōmeihoshi chuckled at this, shaking her head. "Let me guess what you offered in exchange: revival of her beloved." He flashed his trademark smirk at her, his golden eyes shining with the tempting unknown.

"You know me all too well, okāsan."

"I have to, Orochimaru. You're my musuko, after all."

Orochimaru tilted his head earnestly, his eyes directing themselves onto the horizon, a far-off look glistening in his mystifying orbs. "I know, okāsan, I know." He then tore his gaze away from the vista, looking back at Sōmeihoshi. "So…what do you have planned for Kohona this time?"

Sōmeihoshi got up from her kneeling position and straighten herself up until she was rigid and erect as she could feasibly be. "I will elaborate on the schism I have concocted but first I want to hear more about this Haruno Sakura person. From what I gathered she sounds very…fascinating."

A low, deep, guttural laugh erupted from the snake Sannin's throat, its regaled sonance reverberating through the fully vacuous cemetery. "You can say that again. Haruno Sakura is one of the most compelling, intriguing people I have ever laid eyes on in my lifetime."

Arching a wispy eyebrow, the lines in Sōmeihoshi's face deepened with curiosity. She knew how difficult it was for someone, particularly a shinobi, to captivate her son so well that they would draw forth _respect _from him. She was quite aware in how many-or should she say _how few_- people managed to receive that from her superlative son. "Is that so? Please, do enlighten me."

"Hm…where to begin…."

Eventually Orochimaru started his tale to when he first met Sakura, in the Forest of Death, where he was trailing Sasuke. Back then, she was inadequate, untalented, and hardly worth a second's notice. She was the weakest link of her team and was always left in the background, forced to live in the shadow of her two prospering teammates.

"She improved her skills by seeking Tsunade out," explained Orochimaru, "and in no time, she began excelling in all her studies and training, ranking up to Kohona's top kuniochi."

"Sounds like she was the idealistic apprentice for someone like Tsunade," Sōmeihoshi commented dryly. Orochimaru nodded partly in agreement albeit a wry smirk was sealed across his alabaster features.

"It would seem that way at first. However, you are aware of the romance between her and my former Akatsuki partner, Akasuna no Sasori?" Sōmeihoshi nodded slightly.

"I've heard a little about it, yes, but I don't know the whole story," she confessed, inquiry edged in her arcane voice.

He told her from the information Kabuto cumulated that it was rumored Sasori and Sakura first encountered each other on the battlefield, fighting to end the other's lives. What betided there amid them still remained an absolute mystery. But whatever occurred on that fateful battle, it sparked a flame between the two foes and soon enough, they were meeting each other clandestinely. It was after a few years to when Sakura finally left Kohona and married Sasori. A month later he was killed in combat and Sakura was sentenced to death for her crimes. Her pregnancy with Sasori's child postponed her death and eventually, she and her son, Shinkutsuki, escaped Kohona with the aid from the Akatsuki themselves. Now, in the present, Shinkutsuki was currently three years old and both mother and son were official Akatsuki members.

After Orochimaru finished his story of Haruno Sakura, he watched his mother very closely, his golden, snake-slit eyes scrutinizing her every move and slight expression gracing her timeworn features.

The crinkled edges around Sōmeihoshi's eyes had already softened and a pensive expression was evidently etched on her face. Her mouth had quirked upwards into another half-smile and he could tell immediately his mother was busy contemplating on and analyzing Sakura's tale that he so generously narrated for her. With curious eyes, Orochimaru wondered what his mother could possibly be thinking so fiercely about.

"Her story…it is almost like mine. So similar in many ways." Sōmeihoshi remarked wistfully out loud, voicing her opinion to her son and the scenic, lush vicinity in the cemetery. She turned to face her stoic son, the reflective aspect still plastered on her countenance. "How…is she doing?" she queried demurely, catching Orochimaru off guard with her empathic question. Masking the partly stunned look with earnestness, the snake Sannin answered his mother's enquiry.

"Sakura is doing just fine, she's making smooth progress. She and Shinkutsuki are being taken care by the Akatsuki rather well from what Kabuto informs me."

His mother nodded her head in satisfaction. "Good. I am glad to hear that." Silence elapsed over the mother and son, their stares locking squarely into each other's orbs. Orochimaru meticulously scrutinized Sōmeihoshi, golden eyes steadily observing the expressive aspects on his mother's features. Yes…he was sure of it now. His mother was somewhat in feeling empathetic to Sakura and her plight. He comprehended what she was conceiving, what she was struggling to ask him. Inwardly, he grinned triumphantly at his recent ascertainment. _It seems I too know you all to well,_ _okāsan. _

"If you want, I can arrange a meeting with her for you," he insinuated and the gnarled mystic's eyes bulged out briefly before shrinking back to their normal size. The corners of her mouth tugged upwards and the long-lost light that once shone in her caliginous eyes was rekindled as she fondly looked at her son, pride emanating evidently in an enormous abundance.

"I would enjoy that very much, Orochimaru," she said simply and he nodded affirmatively.

"Consider it done, okāsan." The diabolical smirk reappeared on his lips. "So tell me, what do you have in store for Kohona this time?"

* * *

_My eyes…they burn. _

'_How many damn books and scrolls did we just read?!'_

_Too many for me to even _bother_ to keep track of._

Mentally fatigued, Sakura tore herself away from the book's pages and cast her weary eyes at the sumptuously lighted room. Rubbing her eyes and temples, she placed bookmarker in the section of the book and closed the cover, promising herself to resume the reading later. Right now she needed to rest her eyes and take a break from all that reading. Orochimaru and Kabuto really didn't need her collapsing on them if she didn't supply herself the basic needs her body would eventually demand for.

Sakura glanced back down, eyes lingering methodically at the books, paper, and files strewn across the table, attempting to find the object she was searching for. As her tenacious gaze finally found its prize, Sakura pluck the sheet of paper out of its location from the disseminate mess and read what she had previously written.

_Notes on Orochimaru's Condition _

_--The decomposition of the arms seems to reject any form of chakra (including healing chakra), no matter how much power is exercised into it. _

_--Cells in arms are dead (no cell reproduction) and chakra veins are dysfunctional and useless as well. _

_--Bone structure and muscles are oddly enough, perfectly normal, just a slightly bit out of shape albeit no activity is found in them. There are signs of possible deterioration in the muscle in the near future if not taken care of properly._

_--Kabuto's newly developed medicine can only work properly up to six hours maximum; the dose injects regenerated chakra into Orochimaru's arms and stimulates the chakra flow into his veins and being fused into the bloodstream, thus allowing his arms to move freely interim. _

_Possible Arm Restoration Theories:_

_--Use the body transformation jutsu only on the arms._

_--Find the jutsu cast by the Third, study it, and see if there is a potential way in reversing the damage or not._

_--Stimulate cell and skin reproduction and chakra flow by an excessive force of outside chakra, chakra-adding jutsus, and so on forth, into the bloodstream. _

_--Restore the missing arm limbs of Orochimaru's soul by the use of spiritual methods._

Tapping the end of pencil dynamically, Sakura studied her methodical dossier in rapt thought. She had read over Kabuto's writings on Orochimaru's past condition pertaining to his arms and all the failed or rejected theories he had tried. She wasn't wholly positive if Kabuto had attempted in any new experiments recently but it would be prudent to double-check, just to be safe. Perhaps with his help and his insight as a highly skilled medic he might be able to narrow down her theory list and provide assistance when she requires an extra set of hands in executing the elaborate details of the chosen theory. If, of course, any one of her four theories had potential.

"Kabuto!" she called with a slight air of authority, "Are you available?"

Silence first greeted her words, then a muffled:

"In a minute, Sakura-san!"

Staying true to his word, it wasn't too long before Kabuto emerged into full view, his glasses partly down at the bridge of his nose and his hair slightly tousled. Sakura blinked momentarily at his disheveled display, caught off guard by his partially discombobulated attire.

The silver-haired medic-nine pushed his glasses back on his nose again, stifling an abrupt, unsuspecting but feeble yawn. "How can I be of service, Sakura-san?" The said rosette-haired kuniochi handed him her writings, inviting him to take a look and analyze her notes.

"Tell me what you think of the four theories, Kabuto," she said to him simply and his messy, silver head nodded automatically.

She waited with anticipated as his eyes meticulously scanned the paper, his mind accumulating her findings with absolute precision and decisiveness. When he finished reading the last of suggestive queries, Kabuto lift his head up from the notes, his eyes gleaming with incalculable, bottomless respect and bewilderment. Sakura noticed this act of sensory and tried her best to suppress a smile of the Oto spy's unspoken, gratifying compliment.

"Well?" she implored, curious of Kabuto's final deduction. Kabuto flashed her a grin that would have made any female on the planet's heart melt prior to responding.

"I must say, Sakura, you have surpassed my previous expectations of your ability immensely. I almost did not think you would have been able to come up with a numerous amount of theories already." The amazement in his eyes broadened as he glanced back down at her sheets. "Pity how Kohona really didn't fully take heed of your brimming capability or your astounding brilliance. Such a talent should not be wasted; it would be an utmost crime to the world."

Sakura froze instantly at his set of words, actualization dawning over her features. It was of Kabuto's words that stimulated her memory of Sasori telling her that Leaf's semi-negligence over her power was unforgivable.

"_**Sakura, you contain so much skill, so much potential in achieving some of the highest standards that a shinobi can possibly reach. Yet Kohona holds you back, hindering you from learning more and gaining access to more power and knowledge. They set limits for you and expect you to stay within them." **_

_**His cool, calculating blood-red eyes bore deeply into her tense, expressive verdant ones. **_

"_**They are restraining you from attaining the power you so rightfully deserve, using your fortes for frivolous and trivial purposes. Kohona hardly appreciates your efforts to its cause. They are not recognizing you for who you really are or what you truly can become."**_

_**He tucked a pink strand behind her ear, a bitter smile gracing his lips. **_

"_**And that, my dear cherry blossom, is a **_**crime**_**." **_

"Sakura-san?"

Mentally jerking herself out of the nostalgic reverie, Sakura fixated her gaze back on Kabuto who wore a questioning, concerned expression on his placid, peach-toned countenance. Waving her hand dismissingly, she made amends to reassure her fellow medic nothing was amiss.

"Pay no attention to me, Kabuto; I was just reminiscing the past."

Kabuto quirked an eyebrow at her statement, his mind teeming with inquires to ask. "Was it something I said that prompt your stupor?" he probed harmlessly yet less innocent and more guileful intentions lied underneath his eloquent words. The jade-eyed medic kuniochi shot him a dirty scowl at his perceptiveness and he replied with a shrug, his body language simply stating his insatiable curiosity. And unfortunately, Sakura regrettably knew what that was like.

"Yes, Kabuto," she confessed, "it was something you said. I recalled Sasori mentioning a similar phrase to yours, about my skills being unaccountable for." Kabuto nodded, satisfied with this. Eager to change the subject she impatiently tapped the edges of her notes, wanting to hear his opinion on the matter.

"What do you think?"

The Oto medic-nin took another look at the sheet, his silver, elegant eyebrows furrowing. "All four contain the possibility of entailing success, albeit some require far more work than I had originally anticipated."

Sakura frowned. "Which ones?"

He pointed to the selected hypotheses. "The second one especially-that one demands for sneaking into Kohona and purloining the scroll while avoiding a slew full of traps-and the third one, strangely enough." His finger moved downward to the bullet point of her third conjecture. "The third one probably will not only compose of the consumption of countless of soldier pills and chakra enhancing scrolls but a wide, variety of highly advanced and intricate medical apparatus that are unfortunately not available to us at the moment."

Sakura absentmindedly chewed left corner of her lip, her mind whirling in a convoluted vortex of thoughts. "So, are you saying theory two and three are implausible?" Kabuto shook his head.

"No, I'm just saying those will wholly be a lot more difficult to execute." Sakura nodded in understanding.

"I see. Personally, I think the last conjecture is the answer to Orochimaru's problem."

Kabuto stared back down at the fourth hypothesis she was referring to. "'Spiritual methods'?" he stated, arching an incredulous eyebrow. "What caused you to conjure up that one?"

Reverting into her lecture, professional mode, Sakura began her rough explanation to Kabuto. "When the Third abolished Orochimaru's use of his arms, he performed such an act by supplanting of the arm parts of his soul and sealing it within him. Now, we all know without a soul, you die. The same is said for chakra. Both chakra and the soul depend on each other to survive. If the soul goes, then so does the chakra, and vise versa. It is commonly known the chakra is interlaced with the soul, fusing those two properties together as one. That's why it is so fatal when one of them is depleted or damaged; its permanent ruin instigates the fall of the other."

"So you are saying the main reason Orochimaru's arms are dead is because he has no soul or chakra in that section of his anatomy?"

"Precisely."

The silver arched eyebrow quirked up even further. "And how do you manage to accomplish such a feat, Sakura-san?" She tossed him one of her devious smirks.

"I think I can start briefing you on chakra fusion and how it can react to the other portions of the human body, Kabuto-san."

Kabuto chuckled and nodded demurely, shifting his glasses upward once more.

"Please, do enlighten me."

A short, curt laugh escaped Sakura's rosy lips.

"With pleasure."

* * *

"COME BACK HERE, UN!" 

"Never, Deidara-oji!"

"I SAID COME BACK HERE, YEAH!"

"Senpai shouldn't yell at Shinkutsuki, Shinkutsuki was just trying to be funny. Tobi thinks Shinkutsuki was funny—"

"SHUT UP, TOBI, YEAH! DID I ASK FOR YOUR OPINION, UN?!"

"Deidara-oji, stop being so mean to Tobi-oji!"

"WHY IS EVERYONE AGAINST ME, UN?!"

Swirling, crimson orbs surveyed the three flailing, dashing forms of an enraged Deidara, a perplexed Tobi, and a frustrated Shinkutsuki. The owner of such tantalizing eyes sighed exasperatedly, shaking his head barely. He turned slightly to his partner and was about to open his mouth to say something when the door leading to the main entrance flung open on its hinges. Two extremely tall men, one supporting wild, unruly jet-black hair with his whole body completely covered in crudely woven stitches and the other was pale-skinned with condemning violet eyes and slick platinum hair strolled into the living room in an impromptu, inelegant sort of fashion.

"We're back." Kakuzu announced rather dully. Itachi stoically observed the pristine and unadulterated outlook of their clothing, facial features, and the rest of their attire, noting instantly how their mission roughly went.

"I take it the mission was quite successful, then. You two weren't suppose to be back in another four hours." stated the Sharingen master placidly. Kakuzu shrugged his shoulders apathetically.

"The Leader seemed to have overestimated our target, he was disgustingly easy to dispatch."

Hidan took this as his cue to cut in.

"Yeah, that fucking, sniveling little bastard didn't even know what fucking hit him!" Itachi narrowed his eyes at him, a displeased expression on his face.

"Language, Hidan. There is a toddler amid us and neither Sakura-hime nor I want Shinkutsuki to be picking up such foul obscenities at such an early age." Scowling, Hidan nodded his head capitulation thought it was evident he did not enjoy the older Uchiha for reprimanding him for an entity as trivial as his cussing. Itachi, as if sensing his thoughts and disconcertment, continued.

"Better me than Sakura, Hidan. Do you know what she'll do to you if she caught you cursing in front of her child?"

At this, Hidan cracked a grin and laughed, erstwhile perceiving what sort of treatment he would receive from Sakura if that actually ever betided. "Oh, she'd kill me," he replied divertingly, "with utmost ferocity." Kakuzu nodded in apparent conformity, a ghost of a smile grazing his lips.

"I can imagine what horrors you would be forced to undergo, Hidan," mused his money-coveting partner, "and we will all be enjoying your misfortune."

"Just like we are with Deidara." Kisame added with a chuckle, pointing to the steaming blonde artist who was either trying to mortally injure Tobi with his clay bombs or catch the immensely willful Shinkutsuki who was apt in the act of dodging and hiding.

"I SWEAR ONCE I GET YOU TWO YOU BOTH WILL BE SORRY, YEAH!"

To prove his point Deidara tossed a mildly hazardous clay bomb at Tobi's direction while simultaneously attempting to seize Shinkutsuki from his secluded hiding-spot. Unfortunately for him Tobi managed to avoid the explosive device hence the clay bomb sailed majestically out the window, plunging downward into the training grounds below. A clamorous boom convulsively racked the landscape outside albeit the occupants inside the building seemed nonplussed by the commotion of Deidara's artistic detonator.

Tobi, curious as any cat, took the opportunity to catch a glimpse at the wreckage outside, wondering how immense the damage would be this time. As he scanned over the terrestrial vicinity, his eyes expended with each passing second.

The terrain below the Akatsuki base was in total chaos. It was an analogy to a scenic, painted portrayal of the Apocalypse. Trees were disseminated about, their trunks splintered and severed abrasively; shredded or scorched leaves were strewn across the ground, their tattered array displaying a vegetative carnage; colossal, charcoal splotches littered the region, soiling the area with its charred appearance and smoking debris; and abundant, gigantic potholes were the final entity marring the vicinity and the foliage, each vacuity made the ground resemble Swiss cheese.

_Deidara-senpai must have been really angry at Shinkutsuki and Tobi! But Tobi's a good boy, he didn't mean it!_

Another surge of an indignant outburst tore Tobi out of his introspection and conveyed the masked ninja to inspect the situation he was currently missing out on. Luckily, he turned his head around just in time to witness Shinkutsuki being pursued by Deidara who clearly clean forgot about Tobi and his role in their predicament.

"Come here, you little stinker, yeah!"

"Never, Oji-baka!"

The corners of Deidara's mouth twitched and a vein on his brow convulsively popped. "DID YOU JUST CALL ME STUPID, UN?!" he roared, lunging at the raspberry-haired child in full force, arms outstretch to claim their prize. Before Deidara could finish his assault and 'capture' Shinkutsuki, an arm wielding incredible guile and speed halted the blonde's confrontation. A lone blue eye glowered tenaciously at the owner of the commanding arm, boring his fury at the unblinking, whirling blood-red orbs of Uchiha Itachi.

Itachi narrowed his eyes at the steaming clay artist.

"Deidara," he began blandly, "explain yourself." The said-Akatsuki member sighed, the ire on his tanned features rapidly evaporating and being replaced with an impression akin to fluster.

"Funny story, yeah," he started, glancing back at Shinkutsuki who was regarding him with a wary yet relieved attitude. "I was in the middle of molding my new artwork when Shinkutsuki (he jabbed his thumb over to the aforementioned toddler) thought it was the proper time to input his opinion of my sculpture, yeah."

Keeping his deadpanned expression on, Itachi ventured forward. "And what did he say?" Behind the two S-class criminals, Shinkutsuki fidget tentatively. Deidara's sedative appearance was blotched by a fire igniting his sole light-blue eye and his demeanor was distorted into the previous seething face that was shown a few minutes ago.

"He claimed that it looked like a piece of poop, un!" cried out the ex-Iwa shinobi, a forlorn wail laced within his manifesto.

"But it's true!" protested the little Shinkutsuki, "Okāsan told me as an artist you must always be honest with other artists and their art, and accept critiques from them, they'll help you in making your artwork even better!"

"Yet I wasn't finished with my masterpiece, yeah," bemoaned Deidara, "you are not suppose to critique another fellow artist's work until _after_ they are done or close to it, yeah."

"And it didn't look like human waste, un!" he added vigorously and Shinkutsuki stuck his tongue out at him.

"Yes, it did! Your falcon is poop!" chimed the saucy three-year old. Deidara's face reddens and he appeared like he wanted to do nothing more than to lung out at Shinkutsuki again and give him a good spanking. Just as the situation was taking a drastic turn for the worse, Itachi stepped in between, silently signaling the closure of the petty fight to both contestants.

"Both of you, stop. Deidara, Shinkutsuki is three years old and is still learning. Please try to act your age for once." He whirled around effortlessly, allowing his back to face Deidara and his inclining choler.

"That's easy for you to say, Itachi, un. You didn't get your upcoming masterpiece insulted by a three-year-old, yeah!"

"I'm three going on four," Shinkutsuki corrected simply, oblivious to Deidara's lingering rage. Sighing, Deidara closed his eyes. Much as he detested in admitting it but Itachi was right, Shinkutsuki really didn't know any better. He was acting what normal kids do, speaking the truth in a blunt sort of fashion. He couldn't blame Shinkutsuki for his charming innocence, he never could.

Just like the other members of the infamous Akatsuki organization. Shinkutsuki was like their tiny, endearing mascot.

Shaking his head and smiling softly, Deidara bent down to Shinkutsuki's eye level. Reaching out, he patted the little one's head tenderly, the smile still intact on his lips. "All's forgiven, Shinkutsuki." he told the befuddled toddler, who in response only nodded his head dubiously albeit the toothy grin on his demeanor uncannily matched Deidara's.

"Okay, Oji-san!" he chirped, enveloping his 'uncle' an enormous hug. Deidara returned it, loving how caring and compassionate Sakura's son was. Those were the emotions the Akatsuki rarely received, feelings they all somewhat sought for but incessantly eluded them.

Although they might never confess it, the Akatsuki were heartily glad that Sasori had found Haruno Sakura and produced the energetic, wayward Shinkutsuki, their beloved son. When those two had entered their paths, life in the Akatsuki base was never the same again.

…And they wanted to keep it that way.

* * *

Scintillate blonde strands flopped unceremoniously in front of their owner's countenance, evoking an irritated growl from the kuniochi's lips. Nara Ino swiftly scanned the shrouded vicinity around her, her crystal blue orbs swerving back and forth, up and down, left to right. 

_Shit, how many are there? This doesn't make any sense, the Cloud shinobi should be on friendly terms with me! I'm delivering this putrid scroll to their Kage, for crying out loud! _

"This is not good," she muttered to herself, concentrating the best she can, "I don't even know were the hell they are!"

"Too bad for you I already know where _you_ are," whispered a voice behind her, its baritone sending shivers down her spine. As a reflex, Ino whipped out a kunai knife from her holster and whirled around on the balls of her feet to face her would-be assaulter…only to discover him not there. Ino cursed inwardly once more.

"Where are you?!" she hissed venomously, "I'm in no mood to play stupid games with you!"

A velvety chortle rang into her ears, hot breath fanning sporadically against her neck. Her eyes widening, her torso made a move to pivot around yet her movements were stopped instantly by the agile actions of the enemy ninja behind her. He pinned her to the ground, the majority of his body pressing down mercilessly on her.

"That's such a shame, love. I was in quite an amiable mood to have a little sparring match with a pretty Leaf kuniochi like yourself. Perhaps we can have that later." Ino was beginning to **loathe** the purring in his tenor, it was extremely unsettling and nauseating. She was a married woman for pity's sake, she shouldn't have to be dealing with shinobi hitting on her or saying lewd remarks about her!

"Having fun with our captive, Nikushoku**(2)**?" commented a disembodied voice nearby. The Cloud ninja called Nikushoku laughed darkly, a lascivious expression on his face.

"You can say that, Ishojai. She's quite the catch, gorgeous facial features with some really beautiful-looking curves." Ino bristled, her eyes aflame. How dare he speak to her like she was some chunk of meat on display! Wait till she gets her hands on him!

Nikushoku's partner, Ishojai, materialized into view and scrutinized the sprawled, fuming figure of Ino. He frowned superciliously, his eyebrows furrowing prior to reverting back to his regular glacial demeanor. "She may have pretty face, but I say she's bit too skinny for my liking. However, if you fancy her so much you might want to keep her away from Chimamiresatsujin**(3)**; you know he has a thing for blondes."

Nikushoku opened his mouth to answer yet was interrupted by another, more feminine voice in the distance. "Hey, did you two hooligans find that Kohona ninja or not?!"

"Yes, Yoshi, we did. You can quit your unnecessary fretting and can it!" Ishojai shouted over his shoulder to his other teammate a couple of meters in the back.

"Who said I was fretting?" Yoshi hollered back. She 'poofed' right in front of her two male companions, observing the scene lying before her. Noticing the mildly compromising position Ino was in, she grinned inanely as if she was relishing the Kohona kuniochi's discomfort.

"Found yourself another playmate, Nikushoki?" she asked, cocking her head to one side, a deranged look emerging on her countenance. "What ever happened to the last one?"

Nikushoki shrugged his shoulders indifferently yet a snarky simper twisted itself onto his lips. "She broke down too quickly and easily so I had to get rid of her." He chuckled, amused by his words, and Yoshi and Ishojai joined in the morbid gaiety.

Bile rose tumultuously in Ino's throat and she bit her lip to force the vomit back down. Her future was mighty bleak: she has been capture by three Cloud shinobi who will do Kami-knows-what with-or to- her. Thinking of Nikushoki and his compressed body on top of her emitted a shudder. The mission was not going as smoothly she hoped, this was not supposed to occur.

"…Knock her out, Nikushoki. We cannot permit her being conscious for the sojourn back." Ishojai ordered grimly and the lecherous ninja nodded casually. Leaning forward, he intentionally grazed the fingers of his freed hand against Ino's neck, causing her to shudder once more. Smirking, he delicately placed his fingers on the correct locations around her neck, enjoying the reaction he was obtaining from the blue-eyed Leaf kuniochi.

"Sorry about this, love, but orders are orders. I'll make it up to you when we reach Cloud." he purred huskily in her ears and with his fingers, dug his nails deep into pressure points. A parted gasp escaped Ino's mouth and her head slumped forward in unconsciousness. Binding chakra restraining ropes to her wrists and ankles, Nikushoki slung Ino over shoulders, rejuvenating the pretext he was offering her a piggyback ride. Sensing their teammate's task was complete, Yoshi and Ishojai departed the foliage and Nikushoki followed them, the three-man squad heading straight back to their native homeland, the Cloud Village. During all this, they failed to detect and recognized the chakra signature of a shinobi lurking about, spying the retreating figures moving south with utmost interest.

Caliginous eyes watched the three Cloud ninjas and a perturbed impression washed over his abnormal features. If the Cloud shinobi had spotted him beforehand, his visual presence alone would have probably unnerved them greatly.

The black and white face surrounded by two, mammoth-sized viridian leaves implanted along the sides stared aimlessly at the horizon, busily contemplating on what he just witnessed. His black robes with red clouds billowed outward and the Venus fly-trap-esque Akatsuki member unfocused his gaze and began journeying back to the Akatsuki lair.

_Wasn't that one of Sakura-san's friends? Sakura must know of this!

* * *

_

_**The ferryman wants his money you ain't going to give it back**_

_**He can push his own boat as you set up off the track**_

_**Nothing you can contemplate will ever be the same**_

_**Every second is a news spark, sets the universe aflame

* * *

**_

Heh, sorry about that excessively, tremendously elongated wait, my creative juices were temporarily low and school has been barging into my life quite frequently and nicely (sarcasm there, people). Not to mention the extremely busy weekends I had two times in a row….

Yes, that was Zetsu at the end, I have an intriguing role for him to play. Ah, finally I got the notion and method of how to heal Orochimaru's arms out of the way, I was trying to devise my own unique solution without imitating someone else's idea. No one has attempted in healing his arms spiritually-only medically and some chakra-related- so I opted for that.

However…poor Ino, Fate's being so cruel to her and Fortune's not smiling too kindly on her. How will she get herself out of that nasty dilemma? More on that next chapter.

Prior to I transmute out, I like to thank all my stupendous, diligent readers and give an abundant thank-you to my faithful, loyal reviewers: TsukiharaKitty, greenteamoose, Raxan, shortyblonde, Gothic Saku-chan, Annaka Uchinni, overlordofnobodies, Pom-Pomegranent, lynx09, and Vesper chan.

**(1) **musuko- son

**(2)** Nikushoki- carnal (Explains a bit of his personality, doesn't it?)

**(3)** Chimamiresatsujin- bloody murder. Chimamire-bloody, satsugin-murder (Again, gives you a hint about this guy's character as well.)

_**----SpeedDemon315**_


	5. Chapter 5: Shape of Things To Come

_Bringing Back What's Dead_

**Chapter 5:**

Shape of Things To Come

**Summary: **Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? (SakuraxSasori)

A/N: There will be a fair amount of Poker references in this chapter; for those who are ignorant of Poker or have no clue on the levels and names of each hand, I explain more explicitly at the end of this chapter.

Text:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

'_Inner Sakura'_

_**Flashback/Lyrics**_

Music/Songs:

"Shape of Things To Come" by Max Frost and the Troopers (written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil)

**Disclaimer: Let's get logical here, people. Is Deidara alive? No. Is Orochimaru alive? Not really. Is Sakura in the Akatsuki and with any male contestant I would like her to be with? Nein. Is Sasuke dead? Unfortunately, no. While I'm at it, the song "Shape of Things To Come" is also not mine.

* * *

**

_**There's a new sun**_

_**Risin' up angry in the sky**_

_**And there's a new voice**_

_**Sayin' "We're not afraid to die"**_

_**Let the old world make believe**_

_**It's blind and deaf and dumb**_

_**But nothing can change the shape of things to come

* * *

**_

It had been two days since she sent Ino on that suicide mission. Her husband, Shikamaru, Kakashi, and Naruto left on the same exact day the blonde kuniochi did–only earlier–and wouldn't be back in another week. When they do return from their mission and Shikamaru demands the whereabouts of his wife, she'll have a nice, pretty little canard waiting in the wings, ready to be elaborated for him.

Lifting the sake cup to her face, Tsunade first inhaled the rich, tantalizing aroma of the drink, relishing how delectably and fluidly the smell wafted through her nostrils. Unable to wait any longer, Tsunade gluttonously consumed the sake down, its amiable, warm liquid pulsing down her throat and into her body, erstwhile the alcohol numbing away the distant, torpid pain or mental troubles torrential in her mind.

_Ah…sake…there is no substitute. _

Just as Tsunade was about to take another gulp of the divine, scrumptious alcoholic beverage, a vociferous bang from the opposite side of her door precipitately interrupted her engorging sessions of intoxication. Scowling, the blonde Hokage set her cup down and her hands dove straight into the untouched pile of documents that awaited her attention and approval. Desk work was _never_ a walk in the park.

"Come in," she beseeched and the door opened automatically on command. Who she was expecting to be Shizune turned out to actually be a Cloud shinobi. Needless to say, Tsunade was certainly stunned to see one so casually intruding into her office without a word of explanation. Why was he here?

_Unless they have Ino already and are going to question about her position in the near future—_

"Tsunade-sama," stated the Cloud-nin monotonously. Tsunade answered with a nod of her head, encouraging him to continue. Looking at his surroundings, the Cloud shinobi didn't speak until he was wholly satisfied that there were not any potential dangers or threats to his person. Tsunade fought back the urge to roll her eyes; Cloud ninjas were so distrustful and overly cautious these days. The shinobi cleared his throat, preparing to speak again.

"We have captured Nara Ino like you requested and currently possess the special jutsu scroll you gave to us in exchange. Now, my Kage inquires on what you want to become of this Nara kuniochi. Shall we kill her?"

Tsunade shook her head impassionedly. "No, keep her. Consider it a…second gift." She flashed the Cloud ninja an amused, malicious simper and the shinobi replied with a snarky grin of his own. He bobbed his head in comprehension.

"Understood at once. I will inform my Kage immediately when I get the chance." As soon as the words left his lips his hands rapidly went into a series of intricate, fastidious hand signs that were faintly recognizable to the Godaime. She desired her sake so badly her mind was becoming obstructed if her brain cells didn't receive some of that delicious, blissful drink of celestial delight. When the Cloud ninja disappeared and the smoke had dispersed, only then did Tsunade resume back to her sake drinking.

* * *

"Is it just me," drawled out Hidan, "or does Deidara really fucking _suck_ at Poker?" 

A murmuring, grunting chorus of "Hais" echoed back to him, save for Deidara.

"Hey, it's not my fault all of you either cheat or gang up on me, yeah!"

Kisame snorted incredulously at this fatuitous denunciation as he shifted the cards consistently around in his hand. "In your dreams, Blondie."

Deidara's head whipped around vehemently, abundant rage blazing in his lone sapphire eye. "Say that again, fish-face, un!"

Before Kisame could deliver a scathing retort, Itachi cut in. "Deidara," he stated staidly, "it's your turn. Or do you quit?"

The said clay sculptor contemptuously offered the Sharingan master a death glare prior to mumbling a remark that suspiciously sounded like, "Like hell I'd quit for your measly satisfaction, Weasel-baka, un."

"Don't be so childish, Deidara. It's very unbecoming of you." Itachi said with much suave. "It is also extremely unbecoming for an Akatsuki member."

"Shut up, yeah! Did I ask for your opinion, yeah?"

"You instigated the act," pointed Kakuzu out snidely. Another glare was sent in his direction and Kakuzu smirked at his success. It was a well-known fact in the Akatsuki when Deidara was incited and enraged enough, he would perform miserably in card games because of his clouded judgment and the rational thought process was being blinded by his ire. Kakuzu schemed to use this trivial weakness to his advantage. When money was at stake, he would do almost _anything_ to get his hands on that splendid, glorious emerald green paper.

_The money is mine! All mine! None of them will be able to stop me!_

Needless to say, he was exceptionally good at Poker. The only two members who rivaled him were Kisame and shockingly, Sakura. _But she not here at the moment so all I have to worry about is Kisame. _A faint, partially obscure grin gradually emerged onto his disheveled, marred features, going unnoticed by the rest of the Akatsuki members.

Kakuzu was ready to activate his scheme and claim his prize. _This time, the winnings are as good as mine!_ Patiently, he waited for one of the Akatsuki members to call out for the revealing of the hands; he didn't want to give away his winning hand just yet. He preferred to be patient and bide his time until the opportune moment arrives, so to speak. Such a chance came quite quicker than Kakuzu originally perceived.

"Kakuzu, what do you have?" demanded Kisame, his strained, aggravated tone hinting he was growing rather tedious of Deidara's indignant rants. As if on an intuition, Kakuzu's eyes strenuously surveyed the game table and the cards ceremoniously placed on the surface.

Kisame: A four of a kind, he had all four eights lined up rather majestically–with a three of spades along their sides.

Itachi: A flush, an insipid fan of five clubs were delicately spread across the tablecloth.

Hidan: A full house, a seven of hearts, diamonds, and clubs (the excess cards were a pair of nines–one, the nine of spades and other, the nine of diamonds). ­

Tobi: A three of a kind, three jacks consisting of diamonds, clubs, and hearts presented themselves to the world while a five and a four of spades stuck out like a sore thumb.

Deidara: …A one pair, he only had a Queen of Hearts and a Queen of Diamonds. The other three cards were the ten of clubs, an Ace of Clubs, and a two of diamonds.

Deidara received the worst hand compared to the rest of the members. Even _Tobi_ ousted him and that was saying something. Usually the masked S-criminal would get so befuddled with the rules and object of the game he would just simply zone out, lose his concentration, and then subsequently botch up every attempt Fate throws at him to help him win the game. Apparently, Tobi took Fate's advise for once and actually scored higher than one of the Akatsuki.

_No wonder Deidara is tossing himself in a fit of rage._

"What load of crap is this, yeah?! How did idiot Tobi here beat _me_, yeah?!" hollered the said ex-Iwa shinobi vociferously, pointing an accusing finger at Tobi who just stared at him innocently.

"Tobi doesn't know what Deidara-senpai is raving about. Tobi was only trying to play Poker correctly…. Tobi didn't mean to make senpai angry."

"Tobi, don't fucking worry about the damn shit that asshole spouts out. The shithead is just damned pissed that we're all fucking better at Poker than him and has to fucking accept the goddamned fact he's the fucking worse Poker player here." Hidan remarked obscenely, jubilantly enjoying the expletives pouring out of his mouth now that Shinkutsuki wasn't around to accidentally overhear the execrations.

Deidara shoot Hidan a dirty, menacing scowl, his face turning from a pale-toned peach to a vibrant, abnormal shade of scarlet that was beginning to match the clouds on his productive, conservative cloak.

"You want me to dislodge that head of yours so we'll be spared from your constant, abundant profanities, un?"

This time it was Hidan's turn to deliver a volatile glower of his own. "You want to fucking have a go at me, you goddamned bastard? At least I'm not causing everyone's fucking ears to bleed by some shitty-ass whines and complaints!"

"As if your perpetual cussing doesn't have the same effect, un! And I _don't _whine, yeah!" Hidan snorted incredulously, rolling his eyes at this declaration.

"And Jashin-sama doesn't fucking exist."he replied sarcastically, firmly settling their tumultuous quarrel with the final say. Deidara opened his mouth to retort, probably to pour further oil on the fire he and Hidan were rapidly creating when Kakuzu silenced him with his hand call.

"Royal flush. I win the round." Setting the ten of spades, the Jack of Spades, the Queen of Spades, the King of Spades, and the Ace of Spades down mundanely, erstwhile a deviant smirk had snaked its way across his features. He stretched a lanky arm outward in front of the table's center, palm open wide.

"Hand over the money."

* * *

Viridescent pupils narrowed lethally at the imposing young man in front of her, his raven tresses adorning the contours of his pallid, vapid countenance, alluringly framing the sides of his coal-like, confounded eyes. 

"Sakura?!" exclaimed the dark-haired figure, irritation and utter shock etched on his unfortunately handsome features. He then espied the main article of clothing she was wearing, which meant her significant Akatsuki cloak. At the sight of the infamously-known cloak, a horrified, seething scowl distorted his refined, cold decorum. "What are you doing wearing **that**?"

Sakura promptly ignored the venom in his words, his presence sorely a menace to her. Years ago, she would have probably thrown herself at him and cried out "Sasuke-kun! Please come back!" in a squealing, entreating tone of voice. But not now, not ever. Today she was full-grown woman, a valuable asset to the Akatsuki, wife to Akasuna no Sasori, and mother of their budding, energetic son. Uchiha Sasuke was all in the past, just a trivial piece in her memories of Leaf that she was inclined to forget.

"I'm wearing this cloak because I am a member of the Akatsuki, Sasuke" Sakura answered succinctly, the evident '_duh_!' in her words.

"I can see that," spat Sasuke, his onyx pupils aflame, "but _why_?" At him, Sakura cocked a smirk that furiously reminded the younger Uchiha of his older brother's and clasped her hands together like she was speaking to a terribly young, silly, and thick-witted child.

"Because, Sasuke_-kun_, they have graciously accepted me into their ranks, whether you want to believe it or not. Also…" She held up her left hand, displaying the scintillating, beauteous diamond sparkling in the light of the room. "...my husband was in the Akatsuki."

_Eat that, Sasuke!_

'_Hell, yeah! I can't wait to see his reaction; it's going to be priceless!'_

A murderous expression twisted itself hideously across Sasuke's face, his whole posture and body language screaming out livid. Sakura folded her arms, divertingly waiting all the rebukes she predicts he would thunder at her. Soon enough, her conjecture became quite true and accurate.

"I can't believe you, Sakura!" he hissed, specks of garnet flickering in his jet-black orbs. "You went off and joined some organization that my monster of brother resides in and married some S-class criminal! _What the hell is wrong with you_?!"

Sakura bristled, indignation boiling in her very core. "And this coming from someone who betrayed their village for mere power, nearly killed his fellow comrade, broke my heart, and committed other treasonous acts? And you have the _gall_ to berate me of my actions?" Curbing the spiteful passion and acrid in her words, Sakura regained her stoic demeanor that she knew Itachi would be most proud of. "Speaking of your brother, Sasuke, I have to conclude he's a better man than you."

Sasuke chuckled bitterly, regaled by her scathing comment. "_Him_? A psychotic, remorseless sociopath who **murdered** my entire family is a better man than _me_?"

Sakura opened her mouth to issue another acerbic retort but unfortunately, she was interrupted by a disembodied voice hovering in the shadows nearby.

"The Uchiha clan had it coming to them. You'll do well to remember _that_…Sasuke."

Both Sakura and Sasuke whirled around to face the speaker and as if on cue, the owner of the raspy yet malicious tenor materialized out of the shadows, into the garish, flickering light of the wax candles.

Before them stood a tan, wrinkly, and senescent woman garbed in fading, shredding clothing. A powder blue shawl was draped around her shoulders, the only vivid, lucent piece of cloth she wore, compared to the rest of her drab outfit. Little pouches, charms, and other trinkets were securely strung around her hip and waist via an elongate cord of leather. She offered them a maniacal grin that was an odd semblance of someone Sakura was acquainted with but for the moment, she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Hello, dearies," greeted the arcane, archaic woman syrupy, an air of erudition and potency shrouding her.

"Who the hell are you?!" Sasuke demanded quite rudely and the woman uttered a tsking sound from her throat.

"I see no one taught you manners, young man," she replied superciliously, shaking her head albeit she appeared amused, like she expected the younger Uchiha to behave this way. "Not that it can be helped, I was informed that you were rather a disdainful, unsavory character."

'_Don't forget gratingly egotistical, pompous, foolish, and despicable!'_

"Answer my question!" Sasuke commanded, his temper flaring. The old woman flashed a smirk at Sakura, silently conveying to her she was thoroughly enjoying in ruffling Sasuke's feathers. Grinning to herself, Sakura instantly started taking a liking to this peculiar woman.

"Now, now, Sasuke, that is no way to talk to my dear okāsan. Didn't I tell you to respect your elders?"

The said Uchiha avenger whirled around to face the speaker, his sable pupils dilating by his sensei's statement. "Your _okāsan_?!" he exclaimed incredulously, head swerving back and forth from the tan, gnarled, senescent woman to the regaled, alabaster, golden-eyed Otokage. Even Sakura was stunned, both of her pink eyebrows rose in the speed of light. _Since when does Orochimaru have a _family_ for that matter?!_

Orochimaru executed a head tilt and his lips formed a rather nasty, complacent grin. "That is correct, Sasuke." he responded suavely, his diction fluid and slithering, contributing much to his nefarious, ambiguous nature. He gesticulated to his okāsan, who wore an identical simper on her visage. Sakura felt like smacking her head; so _that's_ who the old lady's devilish smirk reminded her of!

'_Hey, now we know where Orochimaru inherited that sadistic, scheming grin of his!' _

"This is Kita no Sōmeihoshi," Orochimaru announced lucidly, his amber pupils narrowed squarely at Sakura, as if he was assaying to perceive her notions on the whole scene. Sakura returned the scrutiny, adamantly boring her viridian orbs directing into his own golden ones. Chuckling without a sound, Orochimaru nodded with approval and focused his attention back onto Sasuke and Sōmeihoshi, his okāsan.

"Now that we have met one another, I'm afraid, Sasuke, that you must leave us. Okāsan, Sakura, and I have much to discuss." Orochimaru decreed with air of suave and condescension. Scowling, Sasuke nodded stiffly before sharply pivoting on his feet to depart the barren, candescent room.

"Hold up, Sasuke."

The said Uchiha halted his movements, turning around slowly while simultaneously grunting. Just as he fully tilted his face and mortal being by ninety degrees to face his ex-teammate, a swift, gloved fist arrived promptly to greet him head-on. Sasuke was thrown back in astronomical rates, rapidly demolishing every impending smooth, granite wall and leaving colossal damage behind him. After when his detrimental sojourn seemed interminable, the velocity and impact of Sakura's punch waned and an unconscious Sasuke gradually sailed into the final wall, sluggishly sliding down to the glacial cement floor.

Squinting to inspect the causality of her minor retribution, the corners of Sakura's lips quirked upward in sheer mirth as she obtained the forthcoming, definite results from her feral actions: She had reduced the "oh so mighty and grand" Uchiha Sasuke into a pitiful, battered, and humiliating state. Inner Sakura was manically cackling in triumph as she pumped her fist up in the air.

'_REVENGE IS SWEET! Take that, foolish Sasuke!'_

_You're now taking a leaf from Itachi's book?_

Inner Sakura shrugged nonchalantly. _'Yeah, why not? You do the same, too!'_

Inwardly sighing, Sakura supplanted her connects with her inner and focused on the knocked-out Sasuke again. Even though he was quite an augment distance away, her medical statistics and analytical mind reported that Sasuke would be nursing a severely cracked jaw, two black eyes, a mildly broken nose, and several bruises all disseminated across his pallid, wrecked visage. Yes, Inner Sakura was correct. Revenge _was_ sweet indeed.

Dark, blithe chuckling drew Sakura's attention to Orochimaru and Sōmeihoshi, the Otokage's okāsan. "Well," began Sōmeihoshi wryly, "I can't say I didn't enjoy that." Orochimaru nodded comprehensively, his covert, roguish half-smile for her still adorning his lips.

"I will leave you now, for you two will have an abundance to socialize about." With a parting, half-bow to his mother and inclined head nod of respect towards Sakura, the legendary snake Sannin exit the room in a haughty, gliding manner that was eerriely correspondent to Sōmeihoshi's sublime, smooth grace.

_Like mother, like son, apparently._

'_Evidently so.'_

As if she sensed it was her cue, Sōmeihoshi turned to Sakura, a jaded beam on her wrinkled, leather-esque features. "Haruno Sakura," she stated, "I've heard plenty about you."

"Nothing good, I hope," Sakura joshed, provoking the senescent mystic into another morbid cackle. Sōmeihoshi's caliginous orbs blatantly danced with admiration and regalement as she quelled her eccentric laughter down and took a seat by the table beside them.

"So…I hear you have agreed to heal my musuko's arms in exchange for the resurrection of your beloved, correct?" Sakura nodded, instantly noting how bizarre the notion felt to hear someone refer Orochimaru as their son. "A wise decision, mind you."

Sakura quirked a pink eyebrow, a peculiar expression emerging on her countenance. "'Wise' as you mean in 'the debacle of Kohona'?" the rosette-haired medic-nin inquired. Sōmeihoshi smirked diabolically, the forthcoming, the obscenely obvious answer written all over her face.

Sighing, Sakura sat down as well, settling herself across from the archaic Kita no Sōmeihoshi. "Sōmeihoshi-san, since you are Orochimaru's okāsan and all, what brings you here?"

Sōmeihoshi shrugged her shoulders. "I am always concerned with every action my Orochimaru does. I have to make sure he survives each and every obstacle that is hurled in his direction and blocking his fervent goal."

"The goal to annihilate Kohona forevermore. His ultimate revenge." Sakura muttered thusly, conceiving his objectives ever since she was a genin.

Much to Sakura's astonishment, Sōmeihoshi shook her head slowly, a bitter, weary smile resting crookedly on her lips. "Iie, Sakura-san," Sōmeihoshi replied somewhat ruefully, "not his revenge." She paused, mentally debating whether or not continue and finish her declaration. Finally, ridding herself of all her worries and doubts, the arcane mystic resumed her explanation.

"_My_ revenge, Sakura. He's obliterating the Leaf Village for _me_."

* * *

"Isn't she a beauty?" purred one voice seemingly molted out of the softest velvet. 

"Yeah. She's a nice catch, Nikushoki." answered the other with a grittier, gruff baritone.

Ino furiously darted her sapphire eyes back and forth at the speakers lewdly admiring and leering at her enchained state. The first man, Nikushoki, was exceptionally tall and lean, but possessing a quite muscular structure. Wispy, curly locks of sunset orange flawlessly framed his contour in a rather alluring way. Abysmal, charcoal eyes that displayed nothing vital yet seem to perceive _exactly_ what was occurring. To top it off, he had a golden, winsome grin that Ino was positive if she had encountered him earlier, when she was a great deal younger, she would have been head over heels in love with him.

Chimamiresatsujin, on the other hand, was by far different compared to Nikushoki. Bald, lumber, and rather stocky, the broad-shouldered sadistic ninja reeked of booze, cigars, and gambling centers, a repugnant odor which Ino nearly gagged on and forced her to grudgingly prefer Nikishoki's scent of tobacco and soap. Chimamiresatsujin eyed her lasciviously, his shameless blue-violet pupils undressing her with his prurient, zealous scrutiny.

Noticing this Nikushoki crossed his arms over his chest, glaring suspiciously at his conversationalist, all humor dispersing in the wanton Cloud shinobi. "Don't you _dare_ think for a minute I'm going to share her with **you**, Chimamiresatsujin," he uttered icily. The buff man called Chimamiresatsujin just guffawed boisterously, his demented, booming timbre rattling the rafters and accommodations in Ino's prison cell. The imprisoned blonde kuniochi squeaked, suddenly startled by the sheer magnitude of Chimamiresatsujin's vocalization.

"Didn't your okāsan taught you about how substantial sharing is?" Chimamiresatsujin quipped derisively. Nikushoki shoot him another glacial, piercing glower prior to responding.

"Chimamiresatsujin, you fully know that my okāsan didn't teach me that lesson because I didn't have _one_." the orange-haired ninja hissed sharply.

Ino's lapis lazuli orbs widen momentarily and they shrunk to their normal size. What was this, a curt bout of repartees between two Cloud ninjas? _You've got to be kidding me._

Chimamiresatsujin grinned egregiously, like he was profusely proud of himself subtly mocking his fellow shinobi about his maternal absence. "Well, that explains a lot." The bulky, massive Cloud-nin then suppressed more of his imminent sniggering threatening to burst forward convulsively. However, his disparaging comment only served to burgeoned Nikushoki's vitriolic dudgeon towards him and a murderous, malignant, baneful aura precipitately loomed over the sable-eyed ninja.

"You're one to talk, Chimamiresatsujin," Nikushoki spat out, his words saturated with malice and despisal, "after all, your parents were a pathetic excuse for human beings." A sinister sneer twisted itself across Nikushoki's lips, vengeance and malcontent glittering hectically in his bottomless coal eyes.

"They were a **disgrace **to the shinobi of the Cloud Village."

Now it was Chimamiresatsujin's turn to vent his ire. "_Don't you say another word about them, pretty boy!_" he hissed venomously yet Nikushoki responded with a delightful simper.

"You had in coming, maniacal freak. I wouldn't be at all stunned if you ended up like your parents." Chimamiresatsujin appeared like he was ready to lunge straight at the supercilious, handsome shinobi and snap his spiny neck in two.

"Breathe one more word—" The cell's door banged open and in strolled Yoshi, Nikushoki's female teammate.

"Hey, you clowns, I have the news about the well-being of this Kohona kuniochi," she announced clamorously, ignoring the fact the aforementioned kuniochi was nearby and listening.

"You do realize she is here presently and can _hear_ you, Yoshi," commented Nikushoki placidly and Chimamiresatsujin grunted in agreement. Yoshi shrugged casually, not caring one bit if Ino overheard her report or not.

"It's not like it matters anyway," she explained simply, "we're officially permitted to **keep** her."

Ino gasped stridently, absolutely horrified by this ascertainment. Terror tumultuously and avidly constricting her heart, she felt all the walls around her rapidly closing in, ensnaring her into a wretched cage. _No, this can't be happening, this is _not _happening! I have Shikamaru who'll be waiting for my return and a wonderful home and friends…. No, no, no, this is positively _not_ happening to me! _Denial wracking her brain tenaciously, Ino panted haphazardly, futilely assaying to clam her perturbed state of mind while her body convulsed neurotically.

The three Cloud shinobi instantaneously detected Ino tormented condition. "Ah, poor thing, the news of her Hokage's perfidy must have set the little dearie into a nasty shock." Yoshi observed apathetically, nonplussed by the blonde kuniochi's minor spasms and irregular breathing.

"No, no, no," Ino whispered feebly, tears now leaking immensely out her beautiful, baby-blue orbs, "Tsnuade-sama would never do an deed cruel as that. She wouldn't forsake one of her own." Lifting her head up, Ino valorously confronted her captors, grief-stricken and sobbing hysterically yet portraying a shaky yet resolved demeanor.

"SHE SWORE THAT SHE WOULD NEVER ABANDON A SHINOBI OF THE HIDDEN LEAF! SHE PROMISED WITH ALL HER HEART!" She hiccupped, and then resumed her torrential speech.

"**SHE PROMISED**!" Ino bellowed out despairingly, her last hope and faith entwined with those two nostalgic words. Her valiant effort was met with malevolent snickers, amused smirks, and head shakes.

"Hate to break to you, darling, but your so-called faithful Hokage left you in our capable hands. You belong to the Cloud Village now." remarked Chimamiresatsujin unctuously, an uncouth sneer on his disheveled facial aspects.

Feeling emotionally and mentally drained, Ino's head lolled forward haplessly, the crystalline drops still trickling down her cheeks like translucent, plaintive rivulets. The situation was hopeless. If these Cloud ninja weren't lying and Tsunade-sama had willingly tossed her to them much like a doe being hurled into a pack of rabid, deranged hunting dogs, then she was doomed for sure.

_Shika-kun, I am so sorry. I wish I could spare you from all the pain and grief that will befall you once return to Kohona._

A lone tear slid down her face and silently plopped to the rough, cold cement ground, forming a tiny wet splotch.

_Please forgive me, Shikamaru. …I'm sorry.

* * *

_

"Tobi, do you have any seahorses, un?"

Exuberantly, Tobi glanced at his hand and shook his head vigorously. "No, senpai. Go Fish!" The blonde sculptor cursed lightly, but only soft enough for him to hear so the youngest occupant in the room couldn't hear his vulgar.

"This sucks, yeah," Deidara muttered while retrieving a card from the deck, "after going through three people I _still_ don't have those stupid seahorses."

"Well, you did perform awful in Poker," Kakuzu reminded matter-of-factly as if his explanation had promptly answered the main reason due to Deidara's horrendous losing streak and Hidan sniggered.

"Yeah, and Tobi's beating you **again**, Deidara." The said Akatsuki member glowered scathingly at Hidan, his expression lucidly livid and murderous.

"Tobi's beating you too, Hidan," he retorted hotly.

"Tobi's beating all of us expect Shinkutsuki," stated Kisame firmly, slightly irked by the deference in the game, "Now, Kakuzu, do you have any sharks?" Scowling, Kakuzu handed two shark cards over to Kisame who grinning inanely. "And that's a four pair for me." He placed four pair of sharks down on the table, beaming proudly at his accomplishment of receiving his very first four pair. Compared to Shinkutsuki's three pair of guppies, dolphins, and angelfishes and Tobi's pairs of rainbow fishes and whales, Kisame was grandly coming in third place. Most of the Akatsuki members haven't obtained their first four pair yet and erstwhile they were nearing the end of the game. There were only five types of fish left–one was Deidara's seahorses–and there were subtle hints of a seemingly harmless game of Go Fish about to rapidly transform into a cut-throat competition.

"Time for me to go again," Kisame proclaimed complacently, "Hidan, do you have any sting rays?"

Hidan smirked and shook his head. "Nah. Go Fish." Scowling, Kisame took a card from the deck and placed it within his meager hand.

"My turn." Itachi's tenor voice floated liltingly across the room, ensnaring the attention of the squabbling S-class criminals. With either anxious or blasé eyes upon him, Itachi turned scantly to Deidara, his crimson orbs swirling with what appeared to be utter regalement. "Deidara, do you have any seahorses?"

At Itachi's suave inquiry, Deidara's countenance quickly transformed from peach to a nasty shade of furious scarlet. Incalculable ire evidently flashed in his single blue eye as he pulled out three seahorses from his hand. "Itachi, you conniving god—" He paused, remembering Shinkutsuki, and then resumed his ranting tangent with more 'appropriate' words in mind.

"How the heck do you manage this, yeah?!" he exclaimed, hurling the cards at Itachi's face. Itachi caught them effortlessly and casually placed them on the table along with the final seahorse.

"Simple, Deidara. I exercised my eyes and brain instead of my mouth."

A vein popped in the explosive ex-Iwa shinobi temple and he looked like he wanted to do nothing more than convulsively shove his entire clay collection down Itachi's throat and watch him explode into tiny, inscrutable bits. Deidara opened his mouth to exert a fiery lashing retort but Itachi simply ignored him by asking Shinkutsuki if he had any goldfishes. The blonde artist's rage was only partially soothed when Shinkutsuki gleefully told Itachi to "Go Fish!" hence compelling Itachi to draw a card from the deck, ending his turn.

As the game went on, Hidan managed to win Kisame's and Tobi's stingrays and laid his very first four pair. Itachi snagged Kakuzu's goldfishes much to the avid money lover's dismay, thus earning him a second pair of fours. Kakuzu and Deidara were the only two members who were doing poorly in Go Fish yet Kakuzu was just grumbling at the fact there was no gambling or money being collected in Go Fish. Deidara's luck, to put it bluntly, was incredibly horrid, completely abominable.

"This is fun, oji-sans!" chirped Shinkutsuki has he took Itachi's sole swordfish–which promoted much rapture for Deidara–, "I'm really glad I taught you all how to play. Okāsan has been always playing Go Fish with me so I have lots of practice."

"Lucky little bastard." Hidan muttered quietly to himself, barely moving his lips so no one could hear the execration he just uttered. Itachi narrowed his eyes suspiciously towards him, like he estimated what exactly Hidan said but didn't execute a move to rebuke the platinum-haired Akatsuki member. Apparently the Sharingan master decided to turn a blind eye to Hidan's covert cussing, considering the fact that Shinkutsuki didn't overhear his profanity.

"Itachi-oji?" The said Uchiha listlessly pivoted himself to face Sakura's son, a stoic yet partly soft expression on his pale features. The raspberry-headed toddler held a curious, attentive aspect on his cherubic face.

"Yes, Shinkutsuki?"

"What does 'damn' mean? I heard Hidan-oji say it a lot and I wondered what it meant." He giggled endearingly, as if he found the prospect hilarious. "It sounds funny. Damn. Damn, damn, damn!" recited Shinkutsuki gaily, relishing how the new, foreign word rolled explosively off his tongue.

Silence enveloped the Akatsuki members and all stiffly and slowly turned to Hidan, who was pale and motionless as any alabaster statue. "I think," began Itachi monotonously, albeit a fleeting spark of ire flickered vividly in his crimson orbs, "that's time for bed, Shinkutsuki."

"Aw, but Itachi-oji!"

"No buts, Shinkutsuki."

Subtly, Itachi inclined his head forward in Hidan's direction, wordlessly signaling to the other members to handle the situation…_properly_. Kisame immediately perceived the hint and grinned manically, furtively withdrawing his gigantic sword behind his chair. Deidara looked like a kid in a candy store and eagerly commenced in molding clay figures for the imminent fray. Kakuzu shrugged, then nodded, and got up from his chair, an entertained smile on his rough, haggard visage. Tobi was far off in his own dream world to do anything worthwhile. Hidan erstwhile detected their initiate goal and tactics and had conjured up his scythe as a measure of self-defense. Itachi narrowed his eyes noxiously at the religious albino member but uttered nothing as he affectionately picked Shinkutsuki and held him tenderly in his arms. He then walked out of the room with Shinkutsuki protesting fervently he wasn't tired at all yet a couple of precipitate, enormous yawns proved controversial to his claims.

The din of Hidan's plight and the other members' parlous pursuit subsequently faded out as Itachi steadily brought Shinkutsuki to his room and diligently tucked him into bed. The little toddler yawned once more and stretched his arms out prior to snuggling under the covers and against his pillows. Smirking softly at the toddler's antics, Itachi bend over and pecked Shinkutsuki on the forehead in familial fashion.

"Arigato, Oji-san," muttered Shinkutsuki sleepily and a half-smile graced Itachi's lips.

"Dō itashimashite**(1)**, Shinkutsuki."

* * *

"For you?" whispered Sakura, an incredulous expression blossoming on her sun-kissed features, viridescent orbs widening by a fraction. Sōmeihoshi nodded, a sober, earnest aspect adorning her archaic visage. Sakura frowned momentarily, absorbing this new piece of information. "How is that, Sōmeihoshi-san?" 

The said mystic smiled briefly. "It's a tale very few know of," she said, drawing her shawl over her hunched form, "and it's a tale I am acquiescent to share with you, Sakura-san."

Sakura waved her hand away at the polite suffix in her name. "Please, just call me Sakura, Sōmeihoshi-san."

The corners of Sōmeihoshi's mouth quirked upwards.

"And you can simply call me Sōmeihoshi."

Sakura smirked lightly and nodded comprehensively. "Agreed, Sōmeihoshi." The mystic then commenced her tale.

"I suppose it all began way before Orochimaru was born, when I first met his father in the Iwa-Kohona War." Her hand slid into a pouch strapped her side and delicately conjured out a worn, faded picture. She offered the portrait to Sakura and the rosette-haired kuniochi accepted it indifferently, curiously inspecting the three occupants in the picture.

There was a man, a woman, and young boy placed squarely in the center of the two adults and all three carried genuine, content smiles on their faces. The woman had incredibly long, perfectly straight ebony hair that seemed to be created out of silk and dark, shrewish eyes blatantly displayed a glow of amiability and sincerity towards the two males beside her. Her skin was extremely tan, a sight uncommon to inhabitants of Kohona. The man, on the other hand, was exceptionally pale, pale as the phosphorescent moon, and contained a set of beholding, confounding gold eyes that appeared like they could approximately perceive the very core of someone's soul. His medium, obsidian hair was pulled back into a slick ponytail and he looked proud of the young woman and youth standing with him. The young boy, ranging around the age of fourteen to sixteen, possessed both traits of his parents. Alabaster skin, long, flowing onyx hair akin to raven's wings, and piercing, ambitious amber eyes easily announced that this was certainly Orochimaru in his teenager years.

_The woman in this portrait must be Sōmeihoshi, which makes the golden-eyed man her husband–Orochimaru's dad–, and the boy undoubtedly is Orochimaru._

'_Heh, he looked cute when he was younger.'_

…_Where the heck did that come from?!_

'_Uh, nowhere.'_

"The picture you are holding was taken during the Iwa-Kohona War, when Orochimaru was sixteen. I can recall that day so lucidly, we were so jovial back then, even Orochimaru when he was away from all his training and shinobi duties." Sōmeihoshi explained, a nostalgic, plaintive smile creeping on her cracked, parched lips. From the bittersweet tone in her words and the emotion flickering in her caliginous pupils, Sakura began conceiving what sort of woman Sōmeihoshi was underneath.

She was woman who contemplated about the past and would wistfully wish there were means she could change everything that went drastically wrong in her lifetime. However, she wasn't the type to be dragged into or wallow in the past, she was the type that will move forward and attempt to wrought and shape the future to her own advantage and jubilance, into what she so desires.

In other words, Sōmeihoshi was just like her.

"How did you encounter your husband, if you don't mind me asking?" Sakura inquired, handing the picture back to Sōmeihoshi and she pocketed it securely back into her pouch.

"The Iwa-Kohona War lasted for twenty-seven years, recorded as one of the longest shinobi wars ever in shinobi history. The war was well into its second year when we first met one another. He had been separated by his platoon due to a convulsive skirmish, coercing him to seek refuge near enemy territory. Suruo, my husband, stumbled across my wicker cottage and collapsed from battle fatigue while I was in the middle of tending my garden. Now, during those times, the Third Hokage commanded if any Leaf shinobi or civilian saw an Iwa-nin, we were to report their location straightaway."

Pausing, Sōmeihoshi titled her head upward, lost in deep thought and concentration. "I, however, acted upon no such thing. I brought Suruo in my home and properly cleaned and bandaged his wounds and restored him back to his original health, thus violating the Third's mandate."

"In there, inside my humble cottage was where our relationship bloomed as we rapidly became acquainted with each other. Soon, our friendship took a passionate turn and before we knew it, we were clandestinely wedded and I was pregnant with Orochimaru."

Penchant tenaciously rooting within her, Sakura probed Sōmeihoshi with another inquiry. "No one of Kohona knew about your covert matrimony with a Rock ninja? Even after Orochimaru's birth?"

Sōmeihoshi grinned crookedly, sheer approval of Sakura's curiosity radiating in her foreseeing eyes. "The reason in how I became impregnated with Orochimaru was one of my own crafted inventions. When Orochimaru came out from my womb, the medics were imploring to know the name of the father. I flat-out refused and they instantaneously perceived I had the misfortune to encounter an anonymous Iwa shinobi and was raped for his twisted appetencies. I subtly played on that notion and permitted those gullible medics to create the rest of the story with their overactive imaginations. I barely had to construct a single canard to shield and protect my past actions and my family."

_Clever, very clever. I'm beginning to like Sōmeihoshi more and more. She and Orochimaru are akin in more ways than one._

"Anyway, through out the years, Orochimaru flourished and swiftly transformed into a formidable, apt genin from the guidance and teachings of his father, Suruo. With pride and much ecstasy we watched him climb higher and higher, becoming a chûnin, then a jônin, and then scaling into the ANBU ranks and being hailed as one of the youngest ANBU members ever. Unfortunately, such joy cannot last in this world."

"What happened?" Sakura inquired empathically, sensing the foreboding, tragic situation impending in the horizon of Sōmeihoshi's story. The woeful impression was similar to the ill-begotten moment where she lost Sasori and temporarily, her reason for existence. Sōmeihoshi stared at her mournfully, her once diabolical, lustrous eyes now glazed with unshed tears and incalculable grief. She decisively resumed the anecdote, her voice suddenly grave and quiet.

"A year after the end of the war, when Orochimaru was twenty-six, the Leaf Village found about Suruo. In no time, they quickly arrested him and held him in custody, notwithstanding the fact that the war was over and Iwa and Kohona had formed a peace treaty with each other. Perhaps it was fundamental prejudice or acrimonious vendetta that drove the Third and the Kohona shinobi to keep my Suruo-kun imprisoned and unearth so-called indictments to pin against him. They were aiming to convict him as a war criminal."

Sakura frowned, perturbed by the Rock Village's absence during Suruo's plight. "Where was Iwa amid all this? Surely they tried to negotiate and reason with the Third Hokage of practical terms of releasing their ninja?" An icy, mirthless cackle echoed from Sōmeihoshi, acidic despisal etched evidently on her weathered visage.

"Suruo deserted the Rock Village in order to protect my and Orochimaru's well-being and they saw his self-sacrificing act an atrocity and promptly washed their hands of him. Rudimentarily, they had forsaken Suruo at Kohona's mercy." Sakura shook her head, repulsed by Iwa's odious deed.

"That's absolutely horrid."

"The tale gets worse, I'm afraid," Sōmeihoshi replied matter-of-factly. "At age twenty-six, Orochimaru was nearing the height of his prime, teeming with excellence, erudition, puissance, and a respectable prestige. Yet when the identity of his father became public, you can only imagine what cruelty and ill-treatment he received at the hands of his own fellow shinobi. From all the jeers, taunts, barbs, and sordid misdeeds he felt utter _betrayed_ by his compatriots. For four years he labored strenuously to save his father, to prove his innocence. He seldom gained support."

"And then, when all hope seemed to crumble away into dust and evanesce into the wind, another chance for his father's survival emerged. The Third Hokage had manifested that he was resigning and would select a talented ninja eligible enough to succeed him. Orochimaru placed himself on the ballot; fiercely believing he would have an astronomical advantage because the Third Hokage was formerly his sensei and fathomed he would understand the circumstances and elected him as the Fourth."

"But his promotion never betided," Sakura stated staidly, for she knew by memory who was bestowed the title of the Fourth Hokage and that someone wasn't Orochimaru for sure. Sōmeihoshi nodded placidly at Sakura's words.

"Correct. The Third's opinion of Suruo's trial wasn't apparent until after he announced who claimed the title of the Fourth Hokage. Sarutobi steadfastly believed Suruo should be executed but the lack of 'evidence' or clear-cut reasons of Suruo's 'criminal actions' prevented him from acting sooner, causing him to appear neutral to the unsavory predicament. So Sarutobi chose Minato to be the Fourth since Minato shared such a staunch, ardent opposition towards Suruo's freedom, hence brutally supplanting all of Orochimaru's wishes for his father's life to be spared. When Minato was named the Fourth Hokage, his first task was to execute Suruo and perform the lurid deed swiftly. As punishment for my intimacy with him, I was forbidden to attend his execution and had a pair of ANBU serving as my 'guards' in case I attempted anything hasty or reckless. As for my musuko, he was given a much worse, grievous reprisal."

"What was it?" Sakura questioned tentatively, partly dreading what the answer would be. Her imagination whizzed with morbid, surreal creativity of the possible castigations Leaf could have coerced unto Orochimaru. Sōmeihoshi sighed ruefully, detriment illuminating in her keen, beady pupils. Taking a deep breath, she continued on, and grimly responded to Sakura's query.

"Orochimaru was assigned to the gruesome task of executing his own father."

* * *

"All right, everyone, it's time to take a break. We'll be moving out in three hours." 

Immediately, Anko wearily set her bindle down and slumped against a tree, desperate to get some shut-eye. As much as she is eager in tracking and hunting Sakura down, there was such an entity called _rest_. If she was ever going to find Sakura and dispatch her privately without her squad's awareness, her strength had to rejuvenated and mind refreshed. Once the process was finished, Anko could commence in collaborating all the possible, agonizing methods to make Sakura suffer.

_Good thing for me is I already have one in mind. Yet I'll be going against the Hokage's orders by harming the little tyke—_

"Anko! Hey, Anko! Do you mind assisting me with the cooking?" called out one of her fellow kuniochi. In reply, the former chûnin examiner groaned yet grudgingly stood up from her resting spot and trudged over to her female comrade who erstwhile had pots, pans, and cooking implants disseminated about.

"What are we having?" asked Anko succinctly and the Leaf kuniochi shrugged.

"Ramen, I guess. We have loads of it."

_Great, ramen. Why couldn't the choice have been dangos instead?_

"Dandy." The female jônin snorted at Anko's sarcasm.

"Hey, I don't relish the notion of eating ramen either but some baka thought it was convenient to pack countless of ramen packs for all of us to enjoy."

"Sounds an awful like that Naruto kid," said Anko, "if he was on this mission I'd blame him for this." Her teammate snorted again and shook her head, lips curling into a regaled simper.

"Thank Kami-sama he isn't." the woman retorted and Anko silently agreed. If Uzumaki Naruto were here, he would probably foil all her plans of retribution and assay to save his best friend's hide from the other ninjas. Anko counted her lucky stars that Tsunade-sama excluded Naruto and the three others close to Sakura out of this urgent, extremely vital mission. Either four of them could risk the chance of defaulting the operation due to their connections to the pink-haired, verdant-eyed Akatsuki member.

Failure wasn't an option for Anko when it came to avenging Genma.

_Watch over me, Genma, because very soon, vengeance shall be ours.

* * *

_

_**There are changes**_

_**Lyin' ahead in every road**_

_**And there are new thoughts**_

_**Ready and waiting to explode**_

_**When tomorrow is today**_

_**The bells may toll for some**_

_**But nothing can change the shape of things to come

* * *

**_

Heh heh, please don't be too furious about my deference, I had the whole chapter roughly plotted out yet the explicit details and sub-ideas weren't igniting swiftly as I had hope. Ideas kept on appearing in **Wild Justice** so I was going back and forth from that story to this. But rejoice, for I have proffered you this elongate chapter for the untimely, about four month wait and unfortunately, you must bide your time again for the next chapter to arrive. Hopefully, the next update just might come sooner, who knows.

I must say, before I commence in wrapping this chapter up, I had fun with the Akatsuki, especially at the Go Fish scene. Tobi is always at the low totem pole in everything so I opt to bestow a little vengeance for him and beat everyone in the Akatsuki–save for Shinkutsuki–at a children's card game (for those who've seen Yu-Gi-Oh the Abridged Series, you'll instantly get the joke). Ah, I **love **writing the Akatsuki as this story's comic relief!

Moving onward, I thank all my diligent readers and assiduous reviewers for their stupendous reviews: Vesper chan, greenteamoose, Rain Yimiko Natsuya, TsukiharaKitty, overlordofnobodies, Gothic Saku-chan, Murky Water Farie, Rambonata -Tallest's Red's FG-, Amethyst DragonRider, SynergyFox, black55widow, and Hermione's BOY. I really appreciate all the reviews you guys shower upon me and they assist in motivating me. Reviews, critics are welcomed with open arms but flamers will be privately visited by a Jiraiya and Gai dancing to "I Like To Move It" and among other harrowing tactics. It's your choice, potential flamers. To flame or not flame, that is the question.

Lastly, I have poll up pertaining to my Suigetsu/Sakura oneshot, **Clandestine Coalesce**. So check it out if you want a sequel to the oneshot or not.

Transmuting out, everyone! Happy Valentine's Day!

**(1) **Dō itashimashite- you're welcome

Poker references (listed from lowest hand to the highest hand possible):

1. One pair

2. Two pair

3. Three of a kind

4. Straight (a sequence of five cards)

5. Flush (all of a kind)

6. Full House (three of a kind and a pair)

7. Four of a kind

8. Straight Flush (all same suite in order)

9. Royal Flush (Straight Flush with a ten, jack, queen, king, and an ace)

_**----SpeedDemon315**_


	6. Chapter 6: The Domino Effect

_Bringing Back What's Dead_

**Chapter 6:**

The Domino Effect

**Summary: **Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? [SakuraxSasori]

Text:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

'_Inner Sakura'_

_**Flashback/Lyrics**_

Music/Songs:

"Dark Chests of Wonders" by Nightwish

**Disclaimer: Look 'disclaimer' up in the dictionary. The definition is the answer.**

* * *

_**Once I knew all the tales**_

_**It's time to turn back time**_

_**Follow the pale moonlight**_

_**Once I wished for this night**_

_**Faith brought me here**_

_**It's time to cut the rope **_

_**And fly.**_

* * *

"As for my musuko, he was given a much worse, grievous reprisal."

The chilling, definitive words of his mother echoed deludingly in his ears as Orochimaru leaned back against the sordid stone wall, listening attentively to Sakura and Sōmeihoshi's conversation.

"What was it?"

Orochimaru heard his okāsan sighing dolorously and by the abrupt waning of her esprit, the snake Sannin instantly perceived what the mystic would utter next.

"Orochimaru was assigned to the gruesome task of executing his own father."

Closing his eyes dolefully, Orochimaru could feel the utter yet subtle sorrow and de profundis imbued in his mother's words. _So you're really going through the whole tale, aren't you, okāsan? I can only hope you are able enough to release all that grief you kept inside you for all these years._

He then heard a soft, but collective gasp from Sakura and subsequent "WHAT?!" laced with a demanding, righteous fire. Despite the circumstances, the corners of Orochimaru's mouth quirked upwards. He should have known that Sōmeihoshi's latest statement would galvanize Sakura's fiery indignation. After all, her feisty spirit was one of the reasons that had attracted him, much to his slight entertainment.

"They really issued that? Ordered Orochimaru to execute his own father?"

_**As if he sensed the snake-esque ANBU's subtle presence, the convict lifted his head up, pendulous ebony strands obstructing his view and outlining the contour of his pallid face. Heart hammering ferociously against his ribcage and his breath lodged deeply in his throat, Orochimaru plaintively gazed into the sober amber eyes of his victim, his dear beloved otōsan. **_

"_**So, those they sent my musuko as my executioner? Eh, they must really despise us, don't they, Orochimaru?" **_

"I'm afraid so, Sakura." Sōmeihoshi's grim voice rippled through the confinements of the chamber like fluctuating water. More vivid images wracked and plagued the snake Sannin's mind as he resumed the sudden reminiscing of his otōsan's final moments, so agonizing was the memory of the cruel demise of his father and his own partake in otōsan's horrendous execution.

_**Orochimaru wanted to cock a half-grin at his father's partial jest but found his mouth hardened, compressed into a straight, thin line of detachment. Smiling while his otōsan's imminent death loomed over them both would have hurt so much at the moment. The smile would have forced, a phony, and the last entity Orochimaru wanted to bestow to his father before he died was an insincere, artificial smile.**_

"_**So it would seem, otōsan." he replied staidly, suppressing all his emotions–intense or mild–down as he begrudgingly commenced in the preparations for the execution.**_

"_**Tell your okāsan that I love her and I will watch over her forevermore."**_

_**Nodding, Orochimaru answered, "I shall." **_

"_**I was always proud of you, Orochimaru. You were the best son any father could ever be blessed with. I love you too, my dear musuko." His otōsan, Oojitsu Suruo, smiled plaintively as he spoke those words and closed his eyes when he finished. Orochimaru slowly constructed the liquidation ninjutsu, his nimble, potent fingers unwillingly performing the macabre seals that will promptly end his own otōsan's life. When the signs were complete, Orochimaru leaned forward until he was breath away from his father. Pale hands illuminating with a ghastly, eerie glow of carmine death, the young thirty-year-old ninja lift his hands directly at the location of Suruo's heart. **_

"_**Give me an honorable death, Orochimaru. Let me die like a true shinobi." The said ebony haired ANBU nodded once more, his matching golden eyes shining with dolor and anguish. **_

"_**Of course, otōsan."**_

"_**Arigatō, musuko." **_

Raking a slender, alabaster hand through his long, sable hair, Orochimaru slumped against the icy, cement wall in which the hallway lead to his many intricate foyers of his covert lair. Tilting his head to listen to Sakura and his okāsan more lucidly, Orochimaru reluctantly allowed Sōmeihoshi's rhetorical, undulate words to envelope him slowly into the past, weaving the dark, clandestine tale of his yesteryears to a roseate haired Akatsuki member who was acquiescent in listening.

Unable to help himself, his amber slits rested their profound gaze on Sakura, soaking up her tranquil mein and the flicker of emotions that fiercely danced across her viridian eyes and sun-kissed visage. As the conversation in the other room deepened, Orochimaru perceived that Haruno Sakura would be the only person besides his mother who would truly know his whole story, unbiased and stripped of all libels and misconceptions. One corner of his mouth quirked upward prior to dropping back down, the amusement in the snake Sannin fleeting and elusive at the moment.

"Perhaps there is still hope," he murmured wistfully as he attentively watched the two females converse lightly with each other, "even for someone as the likes of me."

* * *

"The death of Suruo was only the nascence of Orochimaru's slope towards defecting from Kohona."

This alarming, overt statement provoked a quirked eyebrow from Sakura's part. "Oh, really?" she questioned intuitively, concealed yet utter curiosity glittering in her jade pupils. "What happened after hisotōsan's dispatch?"

Sōmeihoshi's lips contorted themselves into a sly, roguish grin and her caliginous eyes radiated with wry and entertainment. "Well, you can say after that unsavory episode with the Kohona and its government, Orochimaru esteemed it was time for an _insurrection_, per say."

This amplified Sakura's curiosity tenfold. "A rebellion against Kohonagakure? Well, what did he exactly do?"

"About a week after Suruo's execution, I have been a bit more…_passionate_ in the affairs of the Leaf Village and realized that there needed to be some serious amendments to Kohona's government. Orochimaru comprehended my wish and subsequently gathered up followers who shared our exact beliefs that Kohona's government was rotting and reeking with corruption. However, Orochimaru wanted their identity and involvement to be a secret so he constructed alibis for them."

"Let me guess," Sakura butted in, a wry smile on her face as she sensed where Sōmeihoshi was going with this, "those people were the shinobi who 'mysteriously vanished' while with him." A devious grin entered the mystic's weathered features and she nodded, no doubt pleased with the roseate haired kuniochi's ascertainment.

"Bull's eye, Sakura. My musuko wanted his followers to be concealed from Leaf's prying eyes. After all, the Third still kept a watchful eye on him, fastidiously observing him as if he was a walking time bomb ready to explode. Sarutobi suspected Orochimaru and I might harbor a dungeon against him and the Leaf Village so he had Minato dispatch a few guards to gauge his moves. Knowing this, Orochimaru practiced the guise that his followers were experiments of his, in his ambition to achieve immortality. Kohona immediately fell for the ploy and sent Sarutobi to confront him on the matter. Of course, Orochimaru strayed the Third's attention from his true goal of revolution and shifted it towards his success in immortality. The shenanigan worked like a charm and none of the Leaf officials know Orochimaru had been clandestinely plotting to undermine Kohona's government with a band of rebels he encountered. Of course, the schism was put on hold when Orochimaru was proclaimed as a missing-nin and forced to flee from Kohonagakure. His assiduous supports followed him and together, they and Orochimaru founded what is present-day Otogakure."

Sakura digested Sōmeihoshi's words voraciously, realizing how much Orochimaru fooled everyone by playing as the insidious, nefarious villain, a menace to the shinobi ranks they were so readily to believe about him even though they had majority of the facts contorted or transformed into hideous lies.

"But what about Orochimaru's connections with the Akatsuki? What was his purpose to join and then betray the organization?" Sakura inquired placidly, her mind whirling giddily from every new pieces of information Sōmeihoshi was gifting her with.

Sōmeihoshi's lips quirked up momentarily at Sakura's question, regalement sparkling in her caliginous eyes. "He become an Akatsuki member so he learn more jutsus and techniques to insure the safety of his budding Sound village from the older, nastier hidden villages. He never planned on pledging full-time fidelity to your leader, he merely craved to learn enough power to pass onto his devoted followers–and myself, just as a precaution–and have the proliferating knowledge serve as a formidable protection for Oto. The day he left the Akatsuki was the day he decided he accumulated enough erudition from his fellow members and perceived Sound need his full and undivided leadership."

The wrinkly tan mystic leaned back in her chair, her definitive composition signaling the end of the tale. "And the rest," she stated thusly, gesturing the finale with a sweep of her knobby hand, "is history."

Sakura couldn't have agreed any better.

* * *

A lone, fairly gargantuan figure silently made his way through the thicket, his aurulent eyes ruminating for something hidden. He stopped his pace directly under an exceedingly tall redwood tree and placed two fingers together, softly muttering, "Kai!"

The illusion surrounding the lush, tranquil forest vanished instantly, revealing a beautifully ornate door bathed in a shimmering argent hue. The man stepped up to the door, his ebony cloak with carmine clouds a starch contrast to the forest's varying shades of emeralds and light umbers. With one hand, he broke the seals protecting the cached door that lead to the foyer of the main Akatsuki base and entered the compound, resetting the seals and illusion once he was inside.

"Hey, Zestu! About time you showed up, yeah!" called out Deidara when the said shinobi entered the foyer of the Akatsuki lair. Zetsu leveled his stolid, unblinking golden gaze upon the ex-Iwa nin.

"What is it, Deidara?" he asked placidly, boring his eyes directly into Deidara's lone azure orb. Zetsu patiently hoped Deidara would make this conversation quick and to the point, he must find Sakura and inform of her friend Ino's capture.

Shrugging, the blonde artist strode alongside Zetsu before answering. "Ah, nothing really except that you've gone for a long time, un. I mean, Sakura hasn't shown up either—"

Zetsu's head snapped up, pupils wide and dilated. "What did you just say?!"

Deidara blinked at the abrupt demanding tone in Zetsu's voice, never had he heard or seen Zetsu temporally lose his tranquil demeanor before. "About Sakura not showing up, un? Yeah, she left a note saying some dire circumstances has come to her attention and she needed us to watch Shinkutsuki— Hey!" he cried out indignantly as Zetsu roughly brushed him aside, racing towards the main room of the base to find any one of the Akatsuki members.

_This bodes ill...time is short and Ino-san needs Sakura-san for a rescue!_

The Venus Flytrap-esque member finally reached the head chambers of the compound and was greeted with the sight of bruised and battered Hidan, a smirking Kakuzu, a pleased Kisame, and a silent and ever so observant Itachi.

"Deidara told me Sakura-san isn't here," Zetsu voiced out cordially, scanning each individual criminal for an explanation.

"Well, Blondie told you correctly," answered Kisame bluntly, "for she hasn't returned in awhile. Makes me wonder what that little minx is up to."

"Is there a problem, Zetsu?" Itachi inquired tonelessly, narrowing his garnet eyes at the said ninja, "you appear to be slightly…perturbed." The Sharingan master received a subtle glare from the botanic Akatsuki member but Zetsu resumed his tangent.

"One of Sakura's companions, Ino-san, has been captured by a few Cloud shinobi," he explained in his normal, docile voice, seizing the attention of all the members, "and I fathomed she should be aware of this as soon as possible." Much to the surprise of everyone, Itachi stepped forward, leveling his swirling pupils against Zetus's.

"Then let us track Sakura down, Zetsu. I daresay the two of us can find her whereabouts."

Nodding in acceptance, Zestu pivoted on his heels and headed back down the hallway where he left Deidara. Itachi followed him in his typical, furtive grace and while they proceeded towards the exit, they met up with a slightly irked Deidara.

"Hey, Zetsu, yeah! What the hell was that for, yeah!" he hollered boisterously, glaring daggers at the verdant-skinned man, "At least _warn _me first that you're going to ditch me, un!"

"Deidara," Itachi began coolly, "we're going to find Sakura. You and the rest of the members better guard Shinkutsuki with your life." He pierced the blonde artist with a lethal stare.

"Do you understand?" Wordlessly, Deidara nodded, sensing it was best not to argue. As the elder Uchiha and Zetsu exited the Akatsuki base, Deidara ran in the opposite direction, hastening to Itachi's orders for the first time in his life.

"I know there is something more to this rescue mission that just alerting Sakura, Zetsu," Itachi stated impassively once they stepped out the base and out hearing range from any of the members. Ignoring Itachi's decisive comment Zetsu kept walking, preparing to take flight into the trees. Just as he was about to, the Sharingan master whizzed right in front of him, his dark cerise eyes narrowing dangerously at the Venus Flytrap-esque member.

"Zetsu…" Itachi warned staidly although there was an edge of conviction in his tone, "She's married to that Nara shinobi now, I had esteemed you would have moved on by now."

This time, the said Akatsuki member allowed his calm exterior to crack and shot Itachi a withering glare. "Love is a not emotion to be given up so easily, Itachi-san," he replied listlessly, "if you had ever experienced love before, then you would understand." Itachi grunted noncommittally yet his lethal ruby eyes still trapped Zetsu in their foreboding, sanguinary gaze.

"Maybe so…yet unlike you, I am aware of the consequences if you do not sever your affinity for Sakura-san's friend, Ino." Without saying another word, Itachi swiftly turned around and leaped gracefully onto a tree branch, shortly accompanied by an equally silent yet agitated Zetsu.

_If you continue down that road, Zetsu, you shall meet only pain…and anguish. I would know…I once held feelings for Sakura. _

As Itachi filtered smoothly through the leafy canopy of the trees he dimly wondered if those feelings were still there, just buried for the time being, waiting for the appearance of the roseate haired, viridian-eyed to unintentionally invoke them back into his life.

Kami-sama, he hoped not.

* * *

The day had passed by so rapidly Sakura could not believe it was morning already. Groaning, she languidly lifted her head up from all the crinkled papers strewn about and surveyed the room, noting the slight disarray she had created after her meeting with Orochimaru's mother, Sōmeihoshi. After nearly pulling an all-nighter, Sakura had finally found the means to successfully perform a spiritual ritual and grant Orochimaru the use of his arms. Sakura's spine tingled with excitement, for the roseate haired medic-nin noted once she finished her end of the deal, Orochimaru would step forward to execute his part and resurrect Sasori.

_Imagine, very soon, Sasori will be back in my life and he can at last see our wonderful son Shinkutsuki! Everyone back in the base will be so shocked!_

Many would have told Sakura that she was insane and irrefutably foolish to trust Orochimaru's word yet after hearing Sōmeihoshi's tale about her and the snake Sannin, and then living with him, Kabuto, and few of his lackeys for awhile, the pinkette realized Orochimaru was far from the sadistic, avid, callous monster Kohona portrayed him as. Sōmeihoshi was the living proof out that contradiction and Sakura had to smile wryly how her former village utterly botched up on the labels and representations, the whole prospect was very amusing in some aspects.

_Then again, the Leaf Village's government was always strict in painting the world black and white, ever slighting the shades of grey in life._

"Are you ready, Sakura-chan?"

The smooth, even tone of Kabuto shattered the said kuniochi's brooding reverie. Turning to face him, she nodded in response, gathering up all the papers instructing her how to execute the mystical ritual. Kabuto observed her expectedly, his onyx never missing every paper she accumulated or her quick, precise movements. "I trust you slept well, Sakura, in spite of your refusal to sleep in the bed we had provided for you."

Sakura grinned sheepishly as she nestled the papers and dossiers securely to her bosom. "Sorry about that, Kabuto, but I was really making progress and I couldn't stop, I was so engrossed in my work." Kabuto chuckled briefly, nodding his head as if he understood this while regalement danced in the eerie sheen of his glasses.

"Then let's put your findings to the test, Sakura-chan," the silver-tress medic stated thusly as Sakura rose to follow him, "Orochimaru set up a special room for you to make preparations for the ritual. …Are you positive this will work?"

Sakura nodded her head vigorously. "Absolutely. I have all the right incantations to perform induce chakra into Orochimaru's arms and secure the soul lacings once they start forming so they won't disintegrate due to the Third's curse."

The two medics continued this conversation, discussing how they would set up spiritual ritual and what to do through each step. Kabuto assured her he would do anything she needed him to execute if she found her hands full while trying to keep the soul lacings attached to the chakra in Orochimaru's arms. The walk ended sooner than Sakura anticipated hence she found herself staring assertively at an enormous, maple-wrought door which held a waiting Orochimaru inside.

With one glance at Kabuto–who offered her an encouraging nod to proceed–Sakura promptly grasped the tarnished doorknob and twisted it open, entering the room with the Oto spy right behind her.

"Thank you for coming, Sakura," Orochimaru announced suavely, his cunning amber eyes never losing their brilliant glow as they observed the said medic-nin as she dumped the folders onto a desk nearby. Tilting her head to him, Sakura nodded wordlessly, a small, faint smile gracing her sun-kissed features as she began plotting out the designs of the ritual.

"Think nothing of it, Orochimaru," she replied as she drew out the circle for Orochimaru to sit in, marking certain signs around the borders of the engraved ring, "after all, I'm fulfilling my part of the deal."

The serpentine Sannin chortled amusingly at her choice of words, golden orbs illuminating with laughter. "Of course you are. And do not worry, I will hold up my end as well. Okāsan would be most displeased if I didn't, she is quite fond of you, Sakura."

Sakura's lips quirked upwards momentarily as she recalled her meeting with Sōmeihoshi. Personally, she was grateful she conversed with the archaic mystic; she had been given so much information that had been contorted or concealed by her former village which Sōmeihoshi had revealed to her in its bare, unadulterated form, free from any hideous lies.

"She's quite a woman," Sakura remarked placidly, "I would like to see more of her in the near future."

"I can assure you, Sakura, you will. Make no mistake about that." _Once she finally witnesses the end of Kohona and her vengeance is slaked, you will meet her again. _

"I would enjoy that very much." Getting up from her work, Sakura turned to face Orochimaru, her whole composure professional and resolute. "I am finished with the spiritual ring and prepared to commence the ritual. Are you ready, Orochimaru?"

The Otokage glided up to the rosette haired kuniochi, his movements smooth and precise and leveled his golden eyes with her viridescent ones. "I waited far too long for this moment, Sakura, so of course I'm ready." He sat down directly in the center of circle, holding his arms out for her and Sakura followed, kneeling right in front of him with Kabuto standing by her side for any future instructions.

"Initiate the ritual," Orochimaru commanded silkily and Sakura whipped out a scroll, words already exploding out her mouth and rapid hand signs being formed by her nimble fingers. As he watched a light aqua luminesce envelope both of his arms from Sakura's chanting, Orochimaru for the first time ever since his father's death, prayed to Kami-sama that Sakura would succeed–for all their sakes.

* * *

"What do you mean, '_she went missing_'?!" hissed Shikamaru, his usually blasé demeanor already vanished to display the furious, subtly panicked look of a husband who had just been told his wife was gone and her location was shrouded in mystery.

"What I mean, Shikamura, is when Ino went on her mission, she was abducted," Tsunade retorted dryly, "although we couldn't obtain a sufficient, lucid image of the culprits, we managed to dig up the group behind your wife's capture."

Onyx eyes belonging to the lazy genius of the Leaf Village flashed wildly, his whole posture tense and rigid as two hands slowly curled up to shape taut, furious fists. "Who…?" he rasped out, "Tell me who there so I can hunt them down…and make them pay."

A hidden ghost of smirk hovering over Tsunade's lips, the busty Hokage donned a rather rueful veneer prior to saying:

"The Akatsuki."

* * *

_**Fly to a dream**_

_**Far across the sea**_

_**All the burdens gone**_

_**Open the chest once more**_

_**Dark chest of wonders**_

_**Seen through the eyes**_

_**Of the one with a pure heart**_

_**Once so long ago**_

_**The one in the Big Blue is what**_

_**The world stole from me**_

_**This night will bring him**_

_**Back to me.**_

* * *

Color Glossary:

Aurulent- gold-colored

Argent- silver

Heh, sorry about that gigantic delay in updating, I working on finishing up other stories and then was blissfully immersed in other entities and along came school! So here is my belated Halloween treat for you all, sorry about the shortness, I'm not pleased with the length either. I usually don't write such short chapters…hopefully the next chapter will be longer—I do esteem Sasori will be making an appearance in that one, so you can commence with the drooling, screaming fan girls!

Speaking of Halloween, I hope this makes it up some of you reviews out there reading my story: For Halloween I was Deidara. Feel any better?

And a rather massive thank you to my reviewers: 4theloveofholy, Angry Fox Girl, Cster, Vesper chan, SynergyFox, greenteamoose, ShadowKitsune9, otaku no baka, TsukiharaKitty, Gothic Saku-chan, instance, aznkitty180, TwlightDevil-of-the-Night, Raccoon Thief, Kuro-baara, and blossom221. I hope some of you are still around and I didn't lose any of you guys!

----SpeedDemon315


	7. Chapter 7: Conquering Death

_Bringing Back What's Dead_

**Chapter 7: **Conquering Death

**Summary: **Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? [SakuraxSasori]

**A/N: **I would like to dedicate this chapter to Vesper-chan, who had in so many reviews ago, was onto something when she mentioned she had a feeling that Orochimaru was sweet for Sakura. You pretty much hit a bull's eye, Vesper.

Text:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

'_Inner Sakura'_

_**Flashback/Lyrics**_

Music/Songs:

"Even in Death" by Evanescence

**Disclaimer: Wow, if you think **_**I**_** own Naruto you might want to go visit a shrink. **

* * *

_**Give me a reason to believe that you're gone  
I see your shadow so I know they're all wrong  
Moonlight on the soft brown earth  
It leads me to where you lay  
They took you away from me but now I'm taking you home.**_

* * *

"Any trace on Sakura yet, Itachi-san?"

A raven-haired head shook itself stiffly, crimson eyes with swirling obsidian tomoes staring intently up head, ignoring the occasional haphazard free fall of leaves and twigs fluttering down on them as they weaved viciously in and out of the trees. Zetsu was about to quicken his pace and move up to Itachi's side when the Sharingan master suddenly stopped, his whole posture erect and alert.

"What is it, Itachi-san?"

"I caught a whiff of Sakura's chakara." Zestu froze, halting his pace abruptly. He rotated slightly to face the stolid prodigy.

"Are you sure?" Itachi nodded, his scarlet, impregnable gaze tilted westward.

"Her chakra very faint and I can't tell how long it has been around but she was here–and heading west at a considerable pace." he stated firmly, onyx tomoes swirling wildly against a garnet background as he shifted his focus to Zetsu. "Can you feel it now, Zetsu?"

A nod came from the gargantuan leafy head. "_Hai, _Itachi. And she then heads northeast…" He trialed off, realizing that was all he could sense of the waning chakra for now.

"We better hurry; her entire chakra signal will disperse completely in a few hours. The further we travel her path, the more we'll be able to discern where Sakura was sojourning to." Itachi declared, launching off of the branch and onto the next tree, Zetsu following suit.

The two Akatsuki members traveled then in silence, detecting and ruminating though the feeble remnants of Sakura's day old chakra. She had covered her tracks well–Itachi was pleased to see that.

Hours passed by and her chakra trail was slowly fading away and both Zetsu and Itachi had trouble grasping on to its location and scent as they delved deeper into unknown, suspicious territory. Suddenly, some of the foliage and terrestrial monuments crafted by Mother Nature seemed vaguely familiar to Itachi and soon, the feeling like he been here before grew more potent.

_Strange…I must have been on an assignment for Pein when I came here—_

He never finished his musing, for a shocking epiphany dawn over the eldest Uchiha though his fair visage remained blasé and composed as always. "Zetsu," he called out in his rich, velveteen voice, "I know where Sakura's chakra is leading to!"

Zetsu swerved his head around, subtly eager to hear Itachi's answer. "Where? What village?"

The reply sent a ripple of perplexity and astonishment down the Flytrap-esque criminal's spine as a river of questions flooded his mind of Sakura's intentions in that notorious hidden village.

"Otogakure."

* * *

"Success…"

The faint but triumphant whisper came from Sakura's lips as her viridian orbs beheld the secure and permanent fastenings of the soul lacings attached to Orochimaru's chakra in his arms. Now, no jutsu or seal could break this connection, she had managed to lace the parts of Orochimaru's soul with a burst of chakra she and Kabuto had summoned into his body. Once they did that, she had to work quickly to merge them together before the Third's curse activated and tried to ruin her fine efforts. Once the chakra and Orochimaru's soul were fused together, she placed a few protective seals inside of them so not a single ninjutsu could overcome the mystical barriers and shatter them, while assaying to unravel the lacings attached to Orochimaru's soul and chakra.

After executing all these steps and perfecting her work until no shinobi alive could undo what she had done, Sakura let her weary arms flopped to her sides and relished the sight of snake Sannin's arms turning back to its normal pale color, banishing the dreadful charcoal hue.

"Congratulations, Sakura-chan. You have accomplished what no other medic as ever done," murmured Kabuto into her ear, provoking a soft smirk from the said kuniochi's lips.

"I know and Sōmeihoshi is going to be so overjoyed when she hears the news," she muttered back, picking herself up as Orochimaru meticulously studied the restoration of his arms, a glimmer of satisfaction and muffled elation illuminating off his cunning golden eyes. He then snapped his gaze to Sakura, a slow, pleased grin slithering across his alabaster countenance.

"You have my undying thanks for this, Sakura. Since you have upheld your end of the deal, I shall commence my part of the deal now."

Hope flared ferociously in Sakura's chest at Orochimaru's words, hardly able to believe Sasori's revival was just within her reach. Soon, very soon, Orochimaru would perform the forbidden jutsu and grant life into Sasori once more. "Orochimaru…" she began softly, holding the said Sound Kage's attention quite tightly, "…_arigatō_**(1)**_."_

A fleeting, unreadable impression flashed through Orochimaru's pupils and instead of responded with a suave or silky remark, he merely nodded, bowing his head down to her before exiting the chambers with Kabuto following close behind, who wore a knowing look on his face.

"See you later, Sakura-chan," called back the silver-haired med-nin before closing the door shut to give Sakura some privacy. She would come out later but she would want to gather all the effects she had brought with her to initiate the ritual. Meanwhile, he and Orochimaru were strolling away from the room, out of reach from curious eavesdroppers.

"I'm so glad you didn't make your affections so obvious, Orochimaru-sama."

Orochimaru halted instantly at his faithful medic and spy's words, whirling around to pin him with a withering, foreboding glower of amber. "Hold your tongue, Kabuto," he hissed, displeasure flashing all over his face, "you will not say such things. What prompted you to say such a preposterous notion?"

A low chuckle resonated from the back of Kabuto's throat and he push his glasses back to the bridge of his nose. "Come on, Orochimaru, you know me well enough that very little can get passed me. And plus, your mother has her suspicions. She says it's a pity Sakura is already taken, she would have made a wonderful daughter-in-law." Kabuto smirked, victory surging through him as a tic started in his master's jaw and with a dark growl, Orochimaru jerked his head away from Kabuto and resumed his pace, attempting to rid the mocking statements ringing in head.

"You both are utter fools. I just respect and admire her skills, that's all."

Kabuto's grin widen. "Yes, respect, admire, and _adore_, might I add. Sakura never noticed yet I have seen the way you look at her. It was probably the exact same way Sasori, your old partner, did when he first fell for her."

Ignoring his right-hand man's quips, Orochimaru continued onward while conjuring up many possible ways to end Kabuto's life slowly and agonizingly. Offering him to Manda as a snack seemed far too kind.

"—Come to think of it, the situation is kind of ironic."

"I don't care, Kabuto," grounded out Orochimaru, feeling less and less like himself as the bantering continued, "right now I have to find a body for the jutsu, I'm positive Sakura will like to be reunited with Sasori as soon as possible." Much to his relief, Kabuto nodded, ending his snide comments about his hidden affinity for the cherry blossom of the Akatsuki.

"I'll keep an eye on Sakura-chan and Sōmeihoshi-san while you're gone. If anything happens, I'll get them to safety." The Oto spy stared back at his leader, noting the grateful yet subtle head tilt in his direction.

"Arigatō, Kabuto. Now if you excuse me…" In a flash, hand signs rapidly appeared amongst Orochimaru's hands, pale, slender fingers executing a high-level teleportation jutsu that could let him roam freely without alerting other ninjas of his presence. Clouds of smoke replaced where he once stood, leaving Kabuto by himself. Sighing, the silver-haired medic turned around and back-tracked, heading straight for Sakura so he could escort the pinkette to her quarters prior to he delivers the fortunate news to Sōmeihoshi.

* * *

The Akatsuki had Ino. _They,_ those treacherous, black-hearted lairs had captured his wife, the love of his life. At first, Shikamaru didn't believe Tsunade's dire statement. The Akatsuki had Sakura and she would have never allowed such an act occur. She may not be loyal to Kohona anymore but she still was steadfast and true to her friends.

_**"When I last saw her, Shikamaru, she had changed. I don't think the Sakura you once knew is the same person today. For all we know, she could have had a hand in the abduction herself." Tsunade hardened her expression on the devastated, lethargic genius of the Leaf. "If you truly want to know the truth, seek them out. Avenge your wife. Take no prisoners." **_

_**Shikamaru slowly lifted his eyes up to Tsunade, a dark, deadly look in his charcoal eyes that even sent a shiver down the female Hokage's spine. **_

**_"_Hai_, Lady Tsunade."_**

"Where are you going, Shikamaru?"

Shaking himself out of his unpleasant reverie, he turned around to face his childhood teammate, Akimichi Choji. "Choji…what are you doing here?" Shikamaru inquired slowly but he continued to pack for his parlous journey. Choji frowned at his friend's indifferent behavior and he approached his comrade and flopped down the bed.

"I heard you were back from the mission and thought to come here and see how you were. Ino went on a mission so—"

_"Ino's been kidnapped, Choji."_

This heart-wrenching admission startled Choji rather violently, he promptly slipped off the bed and onto the floor. Terror and fear for his female teammate was written all over his buff features. "W-When?" he gasped, collecting himself up, "Who took her?! I'll show those bastards!" Fire ignited in his pupils, wrath boiling convulsively in his blood as he imagined all the damage he could inflict on whoever was stupid enough to abduct his best friend's wife.

"A few days ago–that's what Tsunade-sama told me. And to answer your second question, it was the Akatsuki." Shikamaru replied swiftly, partly wishing Choji would leave him alone so he would be by himself and alone with his thoughts.

_Kami, Ino. I miss you and your bossy, domineering ways already._

Choji's jaw dropped instantly, eyes bulging outward for the second round of shock. "But that can't be right! Sakura's in the Akatsuki! She would never let that happen!"

"We don't know that for sure, Choji," murmured Shikamaru, securing the straps of his satchel tightly, "The Akatsuki could have changed her, twisted her mind around and transformed her into a different person. It can occur." _And it's so troublesome._

The Akimichi heir huffed, crossing his arms irately. "Well, whether or not that happened, we're going to find Ino and bring her back to safety!"

Shikamaru arched one ebony eyebrow. "_We?"_ Choji replied with a feral grin, his eyes alight with eagerness for the impending mission.

"That's right, Shikamaru. I'm coming with you and there's not a single thing you can do it. Ino is my teammate and I won't let anything terrible befall her. We're in this together!" he finished firmly, his whole tone and posture daring the sloth of Kohona to say otherwise.

Instead, a sigh exhaled out of Shikamaru's mouth and he slung the pack over his shoulder. "Fine by me, just hurry up and pack quickly." However, gratitude and appreciation shone in his eyes as he spoke to Choji and the brown-haired shinobi flashed him a reassuring, jovial grin.

"Roger that, Shikamaru!" he cried out, saluting his said companion and bounded off to prepare himself for the journey, the mission to rescue Nara Ino.

* * *

"Dammit! Where the hell he is?!" shouted Hidan, violet eyes rife with rage and concealed panic, "Sakura is so going to fucking **kill **us!"

"He couldn't have gotten far, he's only three-years-old for crying out loud, un!" added Deidara, quickly molding his clay so he could create his bird hence allowing him to travel all around the base and find the wayward child of Sakura and Sasori.

"The real question is how did the little stinker slip past through all the barriers? I mean, Shinkutsuki is good for a toddler but he's not a frickin' prodigy yet." Kisame grunted, fathoming there would be hell to pay if they didn't find Shinkutsuki soon. For all they knew, he was probably safe, concealing his location from them while giggling at their frustration and panic attacks. "And why can't we sense his chakra? This is too bizarre to be right!"

"You're fucking telling me!" retorted Hidan, flourishing his scythe around with zealous outrage, "He better not be playing Hide-and-Seek with us!"

While Hidan, Deidara, Kisame, and a silent Kakuzu continued their perturbed, hectic tangent, unbeknownst to them three shadowy silhouettes overlooked the four frantic Akatsuki members.

"So they've noticed his absence already. How perceptive of them." spoke a sinister, deceptive voice, an amused sneer twisting itself on his aristocratic face. His two subordinates, Pein and Konan flanked his sides yet did not share the same lurid regalement as he did.

"Madara-sama, why did you lure Shinkutsuki to escape the compound and prevent the others from gleaning his chakra signal?" queried Pein, orange eyes stripped with ebony rings simmered unhappily at his leader's insidious plan.

"Yes, what do you hope to achieve?" Konan finished thusly, a thin look of displeasure blooming across her usually stoic features. Both she and Pein had become well acquainted with Sakura and were quite taken by her son, Shinkutsuki. They wanted no ill-fortune to befall him and Madara was crossing a dangerous line when he permitted a curious Shinkutsuki to slip through all the genjutsus and ninjutsu that would have originally stopped him from leaving.

Madara guffawed dryly, a lone carmine eyes gleaming with twisted mirth. "Protective of the little tyke? Don't worry, I have placed a protective shield over him so no harm will come to him. I have such plans for the young boy…"

"What kind of plans?" Pein asked sharply and he could see Konan visibly tense up. Madara shot them both a glacial glare, all source of amusement dying. In replacement, a deadly, suffocating aura shrouded him, deleterious and commanding chakra enfolding him like a pair of potent arms.

"Pein, Konan, do not question me," he hissed, garnet eye aflame, "I can punish you for such impudence but I'll let your rash behavior slide just this once." Pein and Konan uttered nothing, still fixing their intense, discerning gazes on him. Madara frowned but shot a wall of chakra at them both, knocking the two members off their feet. "However, if you two do get in my way and attempt to prevent my scheme from succeeding, I will slaughter you until there is not a trace left of you. _Is that lucid?"_

A stark orange and aubergine head nodded stiffly, making no effort to mask the spark of despisal rooted deep in their eyes. Madara tsked, deciding he would have to amend that later. Placing the mineral orange mask back on his face, he strode out of room, for other duties beckoned him elsewhere.

"Remember this–**betrayal means death**!" he voiced out harshly over his shoulder prior to slamming the door shut, leaving behind his silently fuming henchmen.

* * *

Racing through the dewy grasses and needling bushes, Shinkutsuki maneuvered himself through the lush, dense forest, careful not to produce a single sound.

_I have to be silent, true shinobi don't make a sound when they walk. Then again, okāsan had that friend of hers, Naruto-san, and Deidara-oji said he was very loud!_

The young had been so wrapped up in his thoughts of becoming a great ninja and Naruto somehow was one despite being rambunctious and boisterous as ever, he failed to notice the soft muffled footsteps nor the looming figure blocking his path until he bumped into the human being and rolled back on his behind. Glancing up, the raspberry-headed toddler immediately rambled into a string of apologies.

"I-I'm sorry, miss! I didn't mean t-to bump into y-you! I wasn't looking where I was going, please forgive me!"

The young woman, a kuniochi no doubt, given to her attire, cocked her head curiously at Shinkutsuki, a flare of recognition igniting in her dark khaki eyes. Smiling sweetly at the abashed, mumbling toddler, she kneeled down and patted him on the head. Shinkutsuki halted his apologetic rant, gazing up at her quizzically yet not distrustfully. She seemed so nice despite the fact he practically rammed right into her.

"What's your name, you little cutie?" the kuniochi asked, her eyes crinkling in easygoing cheerfulness. Shinkutsuki took an instant liking to the mysterious lady, she reminded him of Tobi-oji somewhat and her hair was the same color of Itachi-oji's.

"I'm Shinkutsuki! I am looking for my okāsan!" he chirped, grabbing her hand and dragging her along, "Do you want to help me find her?" She nodded, albeit he missed the surreal triumphant impression sparkle in her eyes and the malevolent quirk of her lips as she stood up and lead Shinkutsuki out of the woods.

"I would love to, Shinkutsuki," she answered genially, masking her venom with oozing honey so deftly that is was impossible for the young child to catch.

"Yay! Thank you!" Shinkutsuki faltered, realizing he did not know the generous, pretty woman's name. "What's you're name, miss? Is there something I can call you?"

"You may call me Anko."

* * *

Before him laid the corpse of one of Oto's traitors, a shinobi who had eluded countless of hunter-nins and created a new name and residence in a tiny, remote village. But all along Orochimaru fathomed where the craven was hiding, he was simply waiting for the right moment to pounce, tantamount to a serpent silently stalks its prey before springing outward and clamping its jaws shut on the unsuspecting quarry.

Past foes, if they were here to witness this spectacle, would be gawping in shock at what he was about to execute, even though he was just finishing up his end of the bargain. An nefarious man like him, they would demure, shouldn't be resurrecting the deceased lover of the woman he covertly yearns for, he instead would forsake his part in the deal and attempt to make Sakura forget all about Sasori and claim her as his own.

After all, he _was _**evil**–that's what they all said about him.

"But if I'm so evil, how I am able to love and care for another human being?" Orochimaru mused tonelessly, fingers slowing forming the first hand signs that would start the revival process. "Evil cannot comprehend the concept of love nor does it embrace it. Perhaps I was wicked once but that was a long time ago, things are different now. I never was the man they said I was."

Fingers delved into a velocity rivaling the speed of light and Orochimaru's concentration tighten, beads of sweat gathering on his brow as time worn on. He couldn't lose focus, not now, not when someone else other than himself was depending on him. _Sakura _counted on him to resurrect her beloved, she _needed_ his success.

_I will be "evil" no longer…_

"I won't let you down, Sakura," he hissed, slamming his palms down to the ground, right next to the carcass of the traitor ninja. The powerful, engulfing surge of the chakra manifested within the jutsu flowed around corpse like an iridescent tsunami, consuming the cadaver while a stone coffin slowly emerged in its place. A bittersweet smirk of victory crept onto Orochimaru's pallid visage and he glided smoothly up to the stone sepulcher, thrusting the lid off with a swift, solid force. Inside lied a young man of thirty years or so, hands clasped to together as if he was contemplating something quite intriguing and thought-provoking. Wavy crimson tresses fell over his brow, slightly past his ears, and flared out a bit. Akasuna Sasori looked exactly the same before he died.

Abruptly, life stirred within the Scorpion and his eyes popped open, vermillion meeting gold. "Orochimaru…?" murmured Sasori, distrust glinting in his ruby orbs. Orochimaru felt his smirk widen, displaying his set of pearly canine teeth.

"Welcome back to the living, Sasori-san."

* * *

_**I will stay forever here with you  
My love  
The softly spoken words you gave me  
Even in death our love goes on**_

_**And I can't love you anymore than I do  
People die, but real love is forever.**_

* * *

**Color Glossary: **

Aubergine- an eggplant color; purple

**(1)** Arigatō- thank you.

I did it! I have managed to write most of this chapter in one day and make it before the dead line—Spring Break. Why? Because where I'm going, I won't be able to take my laptop with me so that means no updates.

Hm, after this, do any of you want to kill me now? I think there were some pretty insidious cliffhangers and I was glad was able to find a way to pick up the plot with Madara's entrance and a few other events. Well, Sasori is back now so you can all dance around or however you want to revel in his return.

To be frank, I had plan all long for Orochimaru to all for Sakura (I'm a die-hard OroSaku fan) but the pairing won't change so don't worry guys. But I have some plans for him and a few other characters, I think by the end of this story, you all really like Orochimaru, if you don't already. But also think at the end, he's going to need a hug… That's foreshadowing I'm giving to all you lovely readers.

Moving right along, I'd like to thank the following reviewers: shadowjettailsclub, Gothic Saku-chan, Bloody Devils, aznkitty180, xXdei-deiXx, Raccoon Thief, Vesper chan, TsukiharaKitty, Cster, and XxFadingxxangeLxX. Thank you for taking the time to review and share your thoughts with me even though it took me forever to update last time!

Well, reviews, critics, etc are appreciated but flamers shall be feed to a ravenous Manda.

_**----SpeedDemon315**_


	8. Chapter 8: Emotions Run Deep

_Bringing Back What's Dead_

**Chapter 8: **Emotions Run Deep

**Summary: **Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? [SakuraxSasori]

Text:

"Speech"

_Thoughts _

_'Inner Sakura'_

**_Flashback/Lyrics_**

Music/Songs:

"Stiff Kittens" by Blaqk Audio

**Disclaimer: Let's not go over this again, shall we?**

* * *

**_We're one and the same dear, you were born for this.  
Forever forget your restraint.  
Remnants of a past here  
Pass like light through dust as memories  
Fall fleeting like pain._**

* * *

Sakura nervously paced back and forth from her room, millions of thoughts swarming in her head. When would Orochimaru attempt to resurrect Sasori? Now? The next day, when he would have more energy? A week from now–she just couldn't wait a week, not after all those years of unsuccessfully trying to find ways to bring her husband back to life.

_Kabuto told me he was going to be on errand…could that be it?_

A low knock resonated from the door, shattering the roseate-haired kuniochi's reverie and she jerked her head around. "Sakura?" came Orochimaru's rich, smooth timbre, "Are you still in here?"

"Yes, yes," Sakura answered hastily, grasping the doorknob and wrenching it open, "What were you—" The words instantly died from her throat, viridian eyes wide with disbelief and sheer joy when she beheld who was standing beside Orochimaru.

Short, flowing locks that were the purest of all reds, ivory skin that could have been wrought by the divine, penetrating, profound scarlet eyes that possessed so much erudition and panjandrum that the mere intensity of those eyes still took Sakura's breath away. The man of her love took a step forward, his expression of wonder and shock mirroring her own as they stared directly at each other, bodies too frozen to move.

Glancing from Sakura to Sasori, Orochimaru coughed and the magic spell was over, snapping the two reunited lovers out of their trance. With a cry of delight, Sakura launched herself at Sasori, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face into the crook of his neck while he calmly caught her and embraced his wife, relishing the sound of her voice, the scent of her hair, the warm, inviting allure of her touch.

"I can't believe it," breathed Sakura, gazing up at Sasori with all the love in the world, "After all these years…you're here, you're finally here!"

Smiling softly at her, he nodded, brushing his hand against her cheek. "Orochimaru explained everything to me on the journey back. To heal his arms with such amazing results…I say you're one of the strongest shinobi alive."

Sakura bit back a laugh, waving her hand dismissively at Sasori's last statement. "Oh, I don't know about that. I still got a long way to go."

"That's what you think," cut in Orochimaru, his lips curved slightly upwards in regalement.

Shaking her head, Sakura was about deliver a droll reply to him but was immediately distracted by approaching chakra signals of two very familiar ninjas. Just by one quick look at Sasori and Orochimaru conveyed to her that they sensed them too and fathomed how near they were. Nodding at them, the medic-nin took off, the two males hot on her heals as she sprinted towards the front door, resolved to meet her two fellow members and give them the load-down on what happened over the course of her absence. Just as the three shinobi entered into the full, shimmering light of day, they bore witness to two figures clad in the ebony and crimson cloaks of the Akatsuki.

"Itachi! Zetsu!" Sakura ejaculated, rushing up to them, "How did you find me?"

"Your chakra signature," Itachi answered bluntly, "It was very faint but we managed to track the trail all the way here, to Oto." His garnet eyes were no longer directly on Sakura but at Sasori, who was flanking Sakura's backside. Zetsu's eyes widen slightly at the appearance of the Akatsuki member that was once pronounced dead and who now was looking hale and alive as one could feasibly be. Itachi, on the other hand, was blasé as ever, although Sakura espied the Sharingan master flickering his sanguinary gaze towards Orochimaru, probably noticing there were no bandages covering his arms to hide the signs of deterioration.

"At first, Zetsu and I were wondering what would lead you to this place but now, everything is lucid. You don't have to explain yourself to me, Sakura."

The said kuniochi smiled gratefully at him, relieved that they wouldn't break out and attack Orochimaru out right. She was well aware that no love was lost between the snake Sannin and the Akatsuki yet after all that had betided, perhaps she could change all that and make sure Orochimaru wouldn't be hunted down by any members of the Akatsuki organization.

"What brings you here?" inquired Sasori firmly, leveling eyes with both Itachi and Zetsu. This time, it was Zetsu who answered.

"We came to tell Sakura that her friend, Ino-san, has been kidnapped by Cloud shinobi."

"_What?!"_ hollered Sakura, emerald orbs flashing irately as her hands instantly clenched into a deadly fists, "How?!"

"I was out scouting when it happened," started Zetsu, his placid demeanor never wavering, "Three Cloud-nins ambushed her, knocked her out, and brought her to their village."

"But why would they do that? Was she on a mission?" Sakura questioned fiercely, her mind already conjuring up all the agonizing torture methods she knew how to bestow on the people who abducted her very first friend. Zetsu nodded to her second question, replying she was suppose to deliver a scroll to the Cloud Village. Sakura's eyebrows furrowed even deeper as she digested all of this.

_This makes no sense at all! Leaf and Cloud are now on good terms with each other so why would some of their own shinobi kidnap a Leaf ninja?_

_'The only way to find out is venture there ourselves and rescue Ino!' _

It was those rare moments that her Inner self uttered something rationally and Sakura inwardly nodded. _Exactly. _

"Zetsu, I want to you to bring me to the location where Ino was taken. Itachi, came along with us, we're going to infiltrate Cloud and rescue Ino. Those pitiable shinobi think they can get away with this." growled Sakura. A slight "A-hem" snared her attention and she whirled around, her features softening when she saw her husband stare quizzically at her.

"And what about me? Am I not fit to join?"

Her lips curled into a soft, full-blown beam, the pinkette shook her head vigorously. "No, no, it's not that. I don't want to lose you again just after you came back to me." Sasori was on verge to either smirk or scoff at her words.

"Sakura, I'm an Akatsuki member, a shinobi. Plus, how hard can these Cloud ninjas be?" Sasori remarked definitely, banishing all the dubiety churning around in Sakura's gut. "Please, allow me to go with you and fight at your side, just like we did many years ago."

Still grinning, Sakura leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips before replying, "You know I can't say no to you after you put it like that, Sasori."

* * *

"Orochimaru. Musuko."

The raspy yet firm tenor of his mother, Sōmeihoshi, jerked the said Sannin's attention and piercing gold met faded ebony. Just by scrutinizing his mother he could detect a lingering sense of fear and alarm. "What is it, okāsan?"

Wringing her gnarled hands about, Sōmeihoshi dolefully replied, "I had a vision, Orochimaru, about Sakura's little boy. Danger and death looms over him."

Masked rage and concern flashed fleetingly across Orochimaru's sculpted, alabaster visage and his eyes narrowed at the notion of someone daring to lay finger on Shinkutsuki, Sakura's son. "What else can you tell me?" Pale fingers curled themselves into tight, potent fists.

"He is in the company of a woman who bears a vendetta against Sakura. She wishes them both ill will and plans to use Shinkutsuki as tool for her vengeance."

"No doubt this kuniochi is from Kohona. Tsunade managed to keep them all obstinate and ignorant of the reality of Sakura's circumstances. They can't fathom that she 'betrayed'–or should I simply say 'left'? –her village for love, not for power, like Sasuke."

"Her honorable actions mirror Itachi's," mused his mother, "though I do feel guilty in drugging him but someone had to be certain that the massacre would be carried out, Hokage's orders or no."

"But back to this vindictive ninja Sakura's son is with," interjected Orochimaru, "can you tell me more about her?" Sōmeihoshi's thin, chapped lips twisted upwards in a wry grin, an amused twinkle in her moist, beady eyes.

"You know her, musuko. She was once a pupil of yours."

Ire beyond any comprehension flashed dangerously in Orochimaru's amber eyes, his placid conduct vanishing at the meaning of her words. "_Anko!"_ he hissed sharply, the notoriously dark, imposing mein that drove fear into all who knew and encountered him began settling over his rigid form, "I should have known. Kabuto told me her lover–that philander Genma–was one of the shinobi Sakura killed after they silenced Sasori. Anko, of course, wouldn't sit around after an injustice has been struck against her."

_I, of all people, should know._

"Her wits seem to be waning, my vision also told me she was disobeying a direct order from her Hokage. She is not supposed to harm the child but she will–I could feel all the contempt, fury, and killing intent pooled inside of her, concealed by a saccharine, cheerful smile." Sōmeihoshi added, crossing her arms while frowning slightly, perturbed by the mental capacity of Anko.

"What else? How did she get away from her squad?"

"She slipped a sleeping draught into their water containers. It shall last for a few hours or so but by then, it'll be too late."

"Not if I can help it," growled Orochimaru, sheathing his two trusty katanas into their respectable scabbards, strapping them across his back, "All my life I've been accused of being insane, psychotic, and among other things. Funny how Kohona never seems to think those terms apply to them yet little do they know how deep the corruption runs."

"Amusing and ironic, isn't it?" remarked Sōmeihoshi, that wry simper of hers never vanishing. Orochimaru answered with his trademark smirk, his pupils gleaming with unyielding confidence and perseverance, two powerful traits that served the serpentine shinobi through out his entire life.

"I'll see you in Kohona, okāsan." With that, he finished the transportation jutsu, the final seal illuminating brilliantly as the last insignia engulfed him in an iridescent glow, placing him directly in the location where Anko was covertly leading Shinkutsuki away from security and into certain doom.

* * *

Deidara cast a dubious glance over his shoulder, at the ominous Akatsuki compound. "Hey, do you think Pein knows what we're doing, un?"

Kicking at a stray bush to unleash his apparent frustration, Hidan retorted, "Like we should fucking give a shit. We'll be doing him a fucking favor by retrieving Shinkutsuki so Sakura doesn't get so goddamned pissed that we somehow fucking lost her son!"

"Besides, I don't think it's Pein or Konan we have to worry about," added Kisame, ensnaring the focus of the remaining members (Deidara, Hidan, and Kakuzu), "it's who Pein answers to."

Both Hidan and Deidara grimaced, they thoroughly disliked that mystery man they all were forced to obey. Pein was tolerable, he was a worthy leader in their eyes. But his boss was on a whole new level of criminal activity, investing himself in wild schemes that were completely unknown and never discussed to them before. Itachi often expressed a certain despisal for the man yet he kept the hatred so subtle and short that the impression was barely caught.

"Wait, yeah." Deidara's pace halted abruptly. "Where's Tobi, yeah?"

Kisame frowned, realizing the overly chirpy and enthusiastic masked ninja hadn't been around for quite some time. _Something's not right… In fact, I don't remember seeing him at all when we discovered Shinkutsuki went missing. _

"I don't know what to tell you, Deidara," the ex-Mist shinobi answered staidly, "But we better quicken our pace if we want to find Shinkutsuki before Sakura returns to notice the base is empty—including her son. We can worry about Tobi later."

The blonde explosive expert nodded wordlessly and posthaste, the four Akatsuki members commenced in tracking the rapidly evanescing trail of Akasuna no Shinkutski, resolution marked on their grim, hard countenances.

Meanwhile, Madara intriguingly watched his followers depart the base, his lips contorting upwards into a sinister, black smile behind his mask. "Ah, so the big fishes scurry off to save the little fish. How noble of them." Turning around to face the solemn, emotionless figures of Pein and Konan, he told them, "Guard the building while I'm away. There are some final preparations that must be taken care of."

Pein stared at him quizzically. "Madara…?"

"Orochimaru's arms have been healed. He will plan a massive assailment against the Leaf Village and I, for one, will not stand to have him beat me to the fall of Kohana. I will make the first strike against those pitiable fools, I will have the first taste of destruction and triumph."

"You know Orochimaru isn't attacking Kohona merely to obliterate it, he's doing to the deed for the sake of his mother, to avenge their fallen father," Konan prompted keenly, fixing her eyes intently on their satanical leader. Madara exhaled a breath of disgust.

"Yes, which that repulses me to no end. He's almost like a vigilante who trying to good for the rest of world like in some of those idiotic books written by foolish, clueless civilians."

"If I had known better, you sounded like you were jealous," remarked Pein boldly, arching one orange brow cockily at Madara, who merely guffawed in regalement at Pein's accusation.

"I do not envy shinobi akin to Orochimaru and Itachi–or Sakura, for that matter. They secretly attempt to clean up a world that is useless in so many ways and half the population loathes them. It's so much simpler if everything is annihilated and we are refreshed with a clean, blank slate to start anew."

"That's why you need Shinkutski," intoned Konan suddenly, realization settling over her, "for the next generation." Madara sneered but nothing could escape the insidious glint in his swirling, crimson eye.

"Precisely."

* * *

Clutching Sakura's son in her hand, Anko quickly yet serenely guided the toddler through the meadows, searching for a place for them to rest so she could finally execute the first phrase of her ultimate revenge. Instantly, she spotted a small spring nearby and a few fruit trees hovering over the tiny glade, their leafy branches nearly touching the halcyon, transparent water.

"Go," urged Anko, nudging Shinkutsuki along, "I bet you're pretty thirsty, huh?"

Shinkutsuki nodded vigorously and ran over to the shimmering pool of water, laughing and splashing as he took sips between his bouts of play. Darkness washed over Anko's face like a tumultuous tsunami as she narrowed her dusky orbs at the innocent, unsuspecting child. He looked so much like that ruthless puppet master but he had his damned mother's eyes. The jade hue mocked her, reminding her of the selfsame orbs of Sakura and how she apathetically stated to her when she mentioned Genma's death so casually.

Anko's blood boiled ferociously and her fist tightened, rage building up inside of her. During her days with her ANBU squad, she had devised a way to strike back at Sakura, to have her experience immeasurable dolor and agony, to be constantly panged with accursed memories of the one you loved. The death of Shinkutski would be the first step to sealing her vengeance. Once she sends the head of Shinkutski to the pink-headed Akatsuki shinobi, Sakura would irrefutably hunt her down and fight her to the death. Both of them would be consumed with contempt and ire but in the end, she, Anko, would prevail. For years she had nursed her animus for Sakura, craving to make the rosette-haired medic-nin pay for all her crimes.

Silently taking out a kunai knife and concealing the weapon underneath the sleeve of her jacket, Anko slowly approached Shinkutsuki, who now was busy admiring all the various colors of the koi fish. "Anko-san, come and look at—"

Quick like a cat, the said kuniochi tackled the toddler and covered his mouth with her hand, her body easily subduing his fierce struggles via cruelly pinning him to the mossy ground. She poised the kunai knife over his neck, licking her lips with anticipation. The motion would be swift and clean, she will saw off his head, place it in a bag, sew it up, and deliver the package to Sakura. As for the headless body, she will dispose the corpse in the pond–let him be fish fodder.

"Blame your cold-hearted mother for this, brat," she hissed at the whimpering boy, raising the kunai knife high above, into the air. Just as she was about to bring her arm down and pierce the nape of Shinkutsuki's neck, something wet and slippery was constricted around her wrist, pulling her arm truculently back. The kunai knife was flung from her hand and much to Anko's shock, she soon found herself being hurtled against the stooping fruit trees.

"Shinkutski," drawled out the newcomer in a suave, dark timbre that Anko knew all too well, "Come along. You'll be safe with me. I know your mother."

"But that mean lady knew my okāsan too!" sobbed Shinkutsuki, glancing frighteningly at the hot-blooded Leaf shinobi, who groaned from the impact and struggled to stand up. Orochimaru's lips quirked upwards at the young child's words, approving at the young boy's firm belief that he won't fall victim to the same trick twice unless the snake Sannin proved he meant him no harm.

"Would you believe me if I told you what your mother is trying to do for you, Shinkutsuki? Only you, her, and her friends at the Akatsuki know of her goals." The raspberry-headed toddler nodded, curious to hear what he had to say. Squatting down, Orochimaru lowered his voice ere he shot a few kunai knives and envenomed senbon needles at Anko to keep her busy for the time being.

"Your mother, Sakura, is trying to bring your father back to you. And I would like to happily report that she has, at last, succeeded."

Pure and utter exuberance bloomed across Shinkutsuki's face and he immediately ran up to Orochimaru, cleaving to his robe like any child of his age would do. "Really? My otōsan is back?! Can I see him?"

The Otokage chuckled, nodding affirmatively. "Of course, but you must stand behind Manda. He'll protect you while I take care of…that _woman_." He spat at Anko, unsheathing one of his katana. Heeding the serpent-esque shinobi's request, Shinkutsuki scurried warily over to the enormous snake, who simply eyed him with mild interest and coiled some of his tail around the boy, tantamount to a shield of scales.

"Don't be sssssscared, little one," hissed Manda, "I will not bite nor eat you."

Shinkutsuki timidly bobbed his head, nestling himself against the serpent while Orochimaru confronted Anko with all the wrath and lethal intent any human could feasibly have.

"Orochimaru…!" snarled Anko hotly, eyes ablaze with unbound hate, "What do you want with that hellspawn?"

There was a flash of steel and sting of pain, and abruptly, Anko was on her knees again, clutching her shoulder. Rivulets of vermillion trickled sluggishly down her tan jacket, a similar liquid coating the tip of Orochimaru's katana.

"Never insult Shinkutsuki, Anko. An injury to Sakura's son is an injury to me."

His baffling statement alarmed Anko, for her light umber eyes dilated considerably. Gritting her teeth, she hurled countless of shurikens as she attempted to elude more of his deadly, honed attacks. "Why do you want to protect the brat so badly? Are you in love with Sakura or something?" she retorted, not even judging her words carefully as she pitifully struggled to dodge Orochimaru's katanas, deep scratches and gashes already covering her body.

Narrowing his gilt orbs on his former pupil with utmost displeasure and disgust, Orochimaru feigned to her left, causing Anko to lose her footing. As she began to fall, Orochimaru zoned in on her, stretching his blade out and diving for the kill. A pained gasp, then a shrill cry tore free from Anko's bloody lips and she gazed in shock at the katana embedded in her stomach. She viciously clawed at Orochimaru's arm, trying to pry the blade out of her but with no avail.

"To answer your question, Anko…**I am**." The said kuniochi snapped her head up, the astonishment melting away, replaced by a malevolent sneer.

"You? Love Sakura? You are incapable of love, Orochimaru!" she jeered at him, gurgling up blood as she spoke. His face expressionless, he merely responded by twisting the katana deeper into Anko, more blood squirting out and eliciting a harsh scream from Anko.

"Bastard!" she cried, tears pouring out of her eyes as he brutally wrenched the sword of out her beaten body and cleaned the katana prior to sheathing it once more, "You robbed me of my revenge! Sakura was supposed to suffer! _That bitch was supposed to pay!"_

"_Kusanagi no Tsurugi_!"** (1)**

Just as soon as those spiteful words left her lips, Orochimaru's tongue shot out of his mouth, a small snake grasping a long sword in its jaws slithered through the air, darting straight for the hapless, death-marked kuniochi. In one swift, fluid motion, the blade penetrated and cleaved the skin and bone, and Anko's head rolled from her carcass, settling near the ankles of her feet. Instead of the corpse of a young boy by the spring, there was a cadaver of madden, revenge-crazed ninja instead.

Retracting his tongue, Orochimaru walked deliberately back to Shinkutsuki and Manda (Manda had prevented the toddler from witnessing the goriness of the battle). The gigantic serpent unraveled his coils and Shinkutsuki immediately ran up to Orochimaru, viridian orbs glowing bright with excitement wonder.

"Wow, you must be really strong! What's your name?"

Unable to help himself, Orochimaru permitted a small, faint smile to skitter across his lips ere replying, "You may call me Orochimaru. Now, let's go find your parents."

* * *

Ino was awoken with agonizing cries and de profundis outside her prison cell. Blinking rapidly, she glanced wildly about her, trying to make out the commotion as she struggled against the chains that bonded her.

"Come on," she hissed dejectedly, tugging at them with all the strength she had left, "I have to get out here!"

"Ino-san?"

Nearly jumping thirty feet in the air, Ino was greeted with the sight of Zetsu immerging out of the stone floor, his amber eyes fixated her with concern and worry. Seeing her torn clothing, choler percolated inside of the Venus Fly-trap-esque Akatsuki member but he held his temper at bay. He, Sakura, Itachi, and Sasori were making all the Cloud shinobi pay for their sordid treatment of Ino. In fact, Sakura was the middle of ruthlessly castrating one burly, bald ninja when she discovered that he raped her childhood friend. Zetsu was tempted to eat the bastard afterwards.

"Zetsu?" Ino breathed, relieved to see a familiar face. She always regarded him as one of the more cordial, well-mannered criminals of the notorious organization and plus, she absolutely _adored _his gardening methods and how knowledgeable he was of flowers. "Thank Kami-sama you're here. Is Sakura around?"

He nodded, answering dutifully, "_Hai,_ she is. Sakura-san is busy teaching one of your capturers what happens when they lay their filthy hands on you." The convicting tone in his voice signaled to the blonde kuniochi that he too, desired to commit selfsame acts to the other Cloud shinobi who violated her. Muttering a simple seal release, the thick, solid chains instantly dropped from Ino's limbs and akin to a true gentlemen, Zetsu discreetly picked up the weary, drained Ino up into his arms before exiting the godforsaken room.

"Thank you, Zetsu," Ino told him feebly, smiling sweetly up at him, "You know, you're really nice for a half-plant man. If only Shikamaru was polite like you…"

Zetsu barely heard the rest of her words, he was too preoccupied in relishing the warmth of her frame, her head nestling up against his chest. He refused to relinquish her from his grasp, not even when the siege on the Cloud Village was complete and Sakura had rushed over to her friend's aid, checking and running tests with her medical chakra over her comrade to make sure she was all right. He would savor this moment and would cling to the memory forever, one of the very few times he had gotten this close to the peculiar, boisterous Nara Ino.

* * *

**_If you show me heaven I will meet you there.  
How it breaks their hearts  
That we've made an art  
Of desecrating our sanctuaries._**

* * *

**(1) **_Kusanagi no Tsurugi_- The Grass Long Sword

Whew! This update wasn't so terrible, only for a few months since I last posted—before Spring Break I believe. Not quite three months so hopefully, no one was dying from the wait. Now that I have Anko dispatched and Ino rescued, all I have worry about is the attack on Kohona. Guess who's going to make the first strike? You'll see…

Anyone seriously love Orochimaru in this chapter? He's really kicking arse, isn't he? Now, now, don't worry, Sasori will have plenty of time to open a can of whoopass in the later chapters, it's time for me to focus on some Sasori/Sakura.

Here's a round of applause to my wonderful reviewers: Vesper chan, Cster, Cherry-Goddess, , TsukiharaKitty, Riia Herogoochi, and Cybershadowninja2 (if you are referring to the two licentious Cloud shinobi that were coming on to her, they don't care if she's married or not, they just want to get into her pants). I thank you all for reviewing, they certainly keep me going and plotting the next chapter!

Well, readers, you know what do. Reviews make my day and plus, they are marvelous incentives. –nudge, nudge–

**_----SpeedDemon315_**


	9. Chapter 9: Putting The Pieces Back

_Bringing Back What's Dead_

**Chapter 9: **Putting The Pieces Back Together

**Summary: **Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? [SakuraxSasori]

**A/N: **I recently found out from a fellow author that Pein is really spelled 'Pain'. She had looked at countless Japanese threads and people who've studied Japanese and they all say it's 'Pain' so from now on, that's how I'm spelling his name.

Text:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

'_Inner Sakura'_

_**Flashback/Lyrics**_

Music/Songs:

"The Howling" by Within Temptation

**Disclaimer: Ah, if I owned Naruto… Sakura would be the Akatsuki, Orochimaru would hands-down amazing, Sasuke would be, well, not in the best situations. But Naruto isn't mine so we can move on, correct? **

* * *

_**We've been seeing what you wanted, got us cornered right now  
Fallen asleep from our vanity, might cost us our lives  
I hear they're getting closer  
Their howls are sending chills down my spine  
And time is running out now  
They're coming down the hills from behind**_

* * *

The golden, blazing orb in the Kohona sky gradually sank down towards the mossy, emerald grass, disappearing out of plain sight while its sister, the moon, reigned over the night with the companionship of twinkling diamonds strewn across the velvety, obsidian blanket that stretched on endlessly through out the world.

Tightening her grip on the faded, powder blue shawl draped around her shoulders, Sōmeihoshi sojourned through the darkness of the streets, haphazardly glancing behind her to make sure no one was out and about. The last entity she needed was some bystander accidently stumbling across her meeting with Arata. Such an act could prove to be quite messy, not to mention a rather enormous chink to her plans. She and Orochimaru came too far to have their schemes spoiled now.

"Sōmeihoshi-sama?" whispered a hushed voice in the fog and she snapped her head around to the right, squinting her eyes to witness a six-feet tall, cleanly shaved shinobi with shimmering olive orbs and cropped ginger hair stepped out of the darkness like a phantom from the abyss.

"Arata!" she greeted softly, nodding with acknowledgement at the said jounin. He bowed respectfully in return.

"Sōmeihoshi-sama, what brings you here?" Arata whispered, ushering the archaic mystic aside and deeper into the shadows, his brow marked with heavy concern, "Do you have another message from Orochimaru-sama?"

In response, Sōmeihoshi nodded solemnly, handing Arata a scroll with a royal purple silk ribbon tied around the item. "These are his instructions in how to evacuate the civilians without alerting any of the enemy shinobis or Tsuande. Our vendetta is with the government of Kohona, not its people. It is vital that they are unharmed doing the invasion."

"I'll do my very best, Sōmeihoshi-sama," Arata replied staidly, clasping his hands together and bowed deeply for the second time prior he raced off, vanishing into the night while Sōmeihoshi was left by herself in streets of the place she once called home.

_Not any more. Ever since the day they took my husband away from me and then wronged and slandered my son–no, this is no home of mine. This village is a pit of refuse, cockroaches, and all the dregs of mankind. _

"Let the downfall of Kohona commence," she whispered to herself, her voice crackling yet firm as ever. Glancing over her shoulder cautiously, Sōmeihoshi began retracing her steps back to her wicker cottage where she would wait patiently to hear any more news from her son.

* * *

"This…" Shikamaru blinked, hardly able to grasp at what he was witnessing. Beside him was a flabbergasted Choji, mouth wide and agape. "…is the Village Hidden in the Clouds?"

In front of them stood the smoldering ruins and wreckage of the Cloud Village, most of its government and military buildings annihilated and effaced. Much to their surprise, majority of the civilians still had their homes; most of them were nowhere near the astounding attack of four Akatsuki members who mysteriously appeared inside the village as if from thin air. Shikamaru had hoped Cloud's Kage could tell him any piece of information about the scroll Ino was carrying and why the Akatsuki would want it or anything else that could help him find his wife.

"What just happened here?" exclaimed Choji incredulously, his head snapping all around, to and fro, making his neck seem like it was a rapid, incessant carousel. "The Akatsuki did this, right?"

"That's what I'm hearing," muttered Shikamaru, "But why would they attack Cloud when they already abducted Ino, who still had the scroll? Something's wrong…"

_Look underneath the underneath, there has to be an explanation for this. _

"Perhaps we should question some of the villagers, they might know something we don't," suggested Choji with a shrug of his shoulders. Shikamaru contemplated Choji's advice for a moment and nodded wordlessly. It certainly couldn't hurt to try, there had to be a rational reason why the Akatsuki members assailed Cloud like that, they didn't just go hitting random villages just for sport, there was always an explanation of some sorts behind their actions.

The sluggish Nara heir, with Choji trudging behind him, furtively maneuvered their way through the debris and contorted, jagged steel structures that looked like bent, melting skeletons of metal instead of the grand establishments they once were. Nodding to Choji, both Leaf ninjas quickly disguised themselves as regular citizens of Cloud and calmly approached one shopkeeper who was busy scraping away ashes and bits of glass off his counter.

"Sir," Shikamaru began after he caught the man's attention, "Do you know what's going on? What was this attack about?" The store owner cut Shikamaru a dour glare, dumping the refuse into the trash, the tendons in his forearms clenching and unclenching as if he was trying to constrain some bottled fury.

"How in the ruddy hell should I know? Our Kage tells us nothin'–you know that or were you just born yesterday?!" he accused, his grimy, sullen face botched with shades of scarlet and maroon, "But I overheard from one of the drunken shinobis that they picked up some Leaf kuniochi, maybe that's why we were attacked by those bloody Akatsuki members." The shopkeeper slapped a wet cloth onto the table and began washing it, his back turned to the two stunned Leaf-nins.

"Thank you for your time, sir," Choji forced out, dragging a confounded Shikamaru away from the store, "You be careful now—"

"Choji!" Shikamaru hissed after they were far out of the store owner's hearing and hid behind an abandoned, shattered building, "Do you know what these means?!" His childhood companion nodded soberly.

"Yeah, Cloud had Ino even when Tsunade said she was kidnapped by the Akatsuki. Couldn't they have nabbed Ino after she completed her mission here?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "That's not possible. Tsunade told me she was abducted during her mission, _before _she reached the Cloud Village. So that means…"

"Tsunade lied to you."

Choji's ominous words sliced through the sullen air like a kunai knife against a slim sheet of paper, rendering Shikamaru's prim resolve to hunt Sakura down useless.

"But the real question is why?" murmured Shikamaru, his brow crinkling from deep concern and perturbed thoughts, "She's hiding something from me, she used me—" His words came to a screeching halt, his dusky eyes wide in disbelief while his body jerked in full alert. Choji recognized that stance all too well: an epiphany had just dawned over Shikamaru.

"Shikamaru…what is it?"

Snapping himself back into gear, Shikamaru stood up and exited the demolished federal building, saying not a word to Choji until they slipped out of the Cloud Village undetected.

"Choji, all of this was about Sakura. Tsunade pinpointed the blame on the Akatsuki, knowing I would go after them to rescue Ino. The chances of me encountering Sakura would be high and I fathom Tsunade was hoping something to happen between me and her."

"But what do you think she wanted? You to kill Sakura?" questioned Choji worriedly, wondering what all this meant from them, Ino, and the rosette-haired medic-nin.

"At this point, I have no idea but I have a hunch on where we could possibly look to find some answers." Shikamaru rotated his head slightly at Choji, his pupils gleaming with renewed resolution and vigor. The genius of Kohona was back in action and this time, he would not be duped.

"We're going to find Sakura and see what she knows about this."

* * *

Sakura wearily but adamantly watched Ino slumbered tranquilly against all the pillows and blankets her, Sasori, Itachi, and Zetsu manage to conjure up. Zetsu even laid some butterfly orchids (Ino's favorite flower) next to her, which caused some curious inquiries from Sakura yet Zetsu refused to answer a single one.

"How is she?"

The viridian-eyed kuniochi glanced up and smiled at the beautiful sight her husband, the soft, gentle breeze playing lightly with his brilliant garnet wavy locks. He casually brushed some out of his blood-red eyes as he squatted down beside Sakura, noticing the strange look on his wife's visage.

"She's doing all right, given to all she has been through," Sakura replied staidly, idly tucking a strand of her friend's white-blonde hair behind her ear, "Shikamaru is going to be furious when he discovers what those Cloud bastards did to her." Her fingers curled up into silently enraged, deadly fists, her face tightening as she spoke. Uttering nothing, Sasori simply reached over and placed his hand over her taut fist, staring deeply into Sakura's jade orbs.

"And what about you? You look like you need some rest, Sakura." Sasori stated placidly, his sanguinary gaze never losing its focus. Sakura's lips quirked up momentarily at the ex Suna-nin's accurate perception.

"I sure I can wait a little longer," she protested slightly, despite the wary light resting in Sasori's eyes, "Besides, I want to tell you more of our son." Sasori's mouth twitched upwards into a soft smile, one that was reserved for Sakura alone.

"I would like that very much, Sakura," he remarked gratefully, squeezing her hand before relinquishing his grip, "His name is Shinkutsuki, _hai_?"

With a nod, she quickly answered, "Yes, I thought the name would be very fitting for him, don't you concur?" This time, Sasori smirked.

"I couldn't agree more." There was a brief pause for a moment until he spoke again. "What does he look like, Sakura?"

Images of their energetic, willful son soon danced about in the said kuniochi's mind as she thoroughly and proudly told Sasori about Shinkutsuki, his wide, innocent emerald eyes, his adorable little face, his cocky grin, his raspberry locks, and how he would always contest Deidara over the true meaning of art. Sasori nearly laughed out loud at the part–clearly Shinkutsuki was his father in that respect.

"What about his ninja capabilities?" the Akatsuki puppet master inquired swiftly, envisioning his scarlet-haired son creating creators by merely stomping his feet around. Perplexity was awash on Sakura's visage at his question and she frowned in contemplation, as if she too had been wondering the same entity.

"At this point, I'm not sure. Albeit, I do believe he might control puppets. I remember one time, when I and few of the other members were playing hide-and-go-seek with him, we eventually found him in your puppet workshop. Shinkutsuki so fascinated with all the puppets that he was simply standing there, with his mouth hanging open in utter awe." Sakura then sent Sasori an amused grin. "He was quite proud when I informed him that his father–you–were the one who carved and created them all."

"As well as he should be," Sasori commented drolly, "Unlike Deidara's clay bombs, all my pieces are works of art." Sakura snorted at his remark, her viridescent eyes glimmering with mirth.

"Don't let Deidara hear you say that, he'll throw a fit."

"As if he hasn't done _that_ before."

This time, Sakura tossed back her head and chuckled heartily, feeling the sweet entrance of bliss pouring into her while all the burdens and stress in her life simply evaporated, becoming mere vestiges of the past. While she dissolved into peals of laughter, the roseate-haired female snuggled closer to Sasori, finally resting her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, relishing in the faint but potent scent of her once dead husband. She had promised Shinkutsuki she would bring his father back and she managed to stay true to that precious vow.

No sooner Sakura shut her eyelids and began to sleep, Itachi melted out of the shadows of the forest, narrowing his garnet orbs at the three forms, one a ninja of the Leaf, the other two prominent members of the notorious Akatsuki organization. With his usual surreptitious grace, Itachi assertively approached Sasori, his mere presence alerting the crimson-headed shinobi.

"Itachi," murmured Sasori, gently setting Sakura next to her childhood comrade, "What is it?"

"We're about to have company, Sasori," the former Uchiha scion stated bluntly and the man that had been once named 'the Scourge of Suna' immediately whirled around, lethal cinnabar eyes rife with the temperament that made him feared by all on the battlefield. If the visitor was anyone intended to harm Sakura, he would put a permanent end to their pitiable life.

"Do you know who it is?" Itachi nodded stiffly as the two men walked quietly away from the two slumbering kuniochis.

"Yes, I recognize the chakra signatures: they're from Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji." Sasori frowned, he had heard of their names before but only the former rang a lucid bell in his memory.

"Wasn't Ino betrothed to Nara?" Sasori mused out loud to Itachi.

"Yes, but after your…death, they soon were married. I believe the ceremony was held a couple of months before Shinkutsuki turned one." Itachi replied apathetically. Prior Sasori could ask more about the situation, Zetsu promptly immerged from the ground right in front of them, his beady amber eyes drawn to full alert.

"They know we're here," he stated simply, getting straight to the point, "Do we engaged them or wait until we know what they want?"

"They could be after us because of Ino. After Ino went missing from her mission, who knows what the Hokage could have told him and everyone else." Itachi commented analytically, the jet-black tomoes swirling wildly around as he looked up ahead with his Sharingan.

Sasori uttered nothing, he just glanced back in the direction where he and Itachi came from, back at the covert alcove they uncovered for Nara Ino to rest in after her gruesome, traumatizing time in the Cloud Village's dungeons.

"Sakura has to be present for this, no doubt Nara Shikamaru would like to speak to her," he added placidly, his gaze never wavering. "I'll go wake her, you two keep the Kohona shinobis busy."

Itachi gave Sasori an inscrutable head nod of consonance and swiftly raced down opposite path that would take him directly towards Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji. Zetsu was right behind him, just as expressionless as he was. Of course, they have no intentions of fighting the two Kohona jounins but if worse came to worse they would, with no hesitations.

"Nara Shikamaru. Akimichi Choji. We can sense that you're here. Come out and tell us why you have been tracking us." Itachi called out in his usually detached voice, detecting the faint rustling of two bodies huddled up high in a tree.

Suddenly, two blurry shapes dropped down like sacks, landing perfectly in front of a nonplussed Zetsu and Itachi. Shikamaru, sharpening his discerning stare on them both, rapidly stood up and fixed the Akatsuki members with a foreboding glare.

"Where's my wife?"

* * *

"Orochimaru-san, are we almost there?"

A velvety, regaled chortle arose from the said Sannin and he nodded firmly, instigating a solid cheer from Shinkutsuki. "How close are we?" added the toddler, curiosity outlining every detail of his cherubic face.

"Not far, perhaps a couple of miles are so," Orochimaru replied with ease, although he failed to inform Shinkutsuki that roughly in those few miles, his parents and two other Akatsuki criminals were currently involved with possible enemies. He didn't want to upset the child, especially after his near death encounter with Anko.

Orochimaru's cat-esque, amber orbs practically harden at the thought of his former pupil, wishing he had offed her sooner in the years instead waiting later for the chance. If he had arrived at the scene a moment too late, Shinkutsuki would have been beheaded and Sakura and Sasori would be childless.

"Hey, Orochimaru-san, what village are you from?" asked Shinkutsuki, shattering the serpent Kage's retrospections, "I never scene that type of symbol before." He pointed squarely at the music note adorning Orochimaru's hitai protector.

With a smirk, Orochimaru answered, "I am from Otogakure or the Sound Village, as it were. But my origins came from a different village: Kohonagakure." This statement perked up the raspberry-haired boy immediately, apple green orbs shining brilliantly with delight.

"Really?! My okāsan use to be from Kohona! Why did you leave?" he queried Orochimaru jocundly, his attention entirely focused on the arcane shinobi before him. To Shinkutsuki, Orochimaru was the exactly the type of ninja he would love to be, besides being like his surrogate uncles in the base they called 'Akatsuki'. He also expressed a desire to also be like his mother and heal people, he found the faint, celadon glow that always appeared around his mother's loving but strong hands rather fascinating–he wanted to mend bones and knit injuries back together just like her!

"I departed Leaf because they performed a gross injustice onto me and my okāsan," Orochimaru finally replied, articulating his words with care, "Much like they did to your mother, Sakura." Shinkutsuki then looked puzzled, his face spelling out "Like what?" but the snake Sannin felt this wasn't the time discuss the past. If there was going to be battle between the Akatsuki and the Leaf-nins, then Shinkutsuki should be nowhere near the bloodshed.

"Think nothing of it right now, Shinkutsuki. Just enjoy the ride." The said toddler nodded, gleefully telling a disgruntled Manda to go faster. Of course, the gigantic serpent grumbled underneath his breath, complaining how Orochimaru was growing soft yet in reality, Orochimaru sensed the snake was gradually developing a soft side for Shinkutsuki, whether he'll admit it or not.

"Hold on tight, little one," Orochimaru murmured to the exuberant three-year-old and Manda rapidly slithered though the rocky and uneven terrains, heading near the area of a potential skirmish.

* * *

Kabuto meticulously observed the covert operation of evacuating the civilians and turned his head slightly to face Sōmeihoshi, who stood in the shadows, eyes never wandering their focus from the nonplussed but obedient citizens.

"The evacuation is almost complete. So far, we have no issues or suspicions from the other Leaf shinobis here. The genjustu worked flawlessly." Kabuto confirmed to the weathered but lofty mystic.

"Oh, Tsunade and her cronies will figure out our scheme shortly," she mused drily, "but by then, their realization will be too late." She then tore her gaze from the civilians and rested her scrutiny onto the silver-haired medic-nin. "Are the forces in position?"

Kabuto nodded affirmatively. "Hai. They await my orders."

An icy, pleased smile twisted itself into Sōmeihoshi's lips and inconceivable triumph flooded into her eyes, emitting an incredible, peculiar illumination all around her hunched form as she rolled Kabuto's words over inside her head. "Perfect. Once the last denizen is safely cached away, begin the invasion."

Another nod from Kabuto. "By your command, Sōmeihoshi-sama."

* * *

_**When we start killing  
It's all coming down right now  
From the nightmare we've created,  
I want to be awakened somehow**_

_**When we start killing it all will be falling down  
From the Hell that we're in  
All we are is fading away  
When we start killing...**_

* * *

**Color Glossary:**

Cinnabar- red

Celadon- pale green

Haha! I managed to update earlier than expected of me, ja? Well, considering the fact this story only has a few more chapters to go before we reach the end, I want pour all the ideas on the page before they escape from me. That and I tend to focus more on stories that are almost finished. So I'll be updating this story more than my other two ones till I write those two bittersweet words: the end.

Furthermore, before I forget, I am finally hosting the Naruto challenge that I created…last year so it should be up on my profile for those who are interested in the challenge.

Lastly, I would like to thank: , Cherry-Goddess, 15thBurningFiddle, Vesper chan, and bellacullen3 for their highly supportive reviews! Thank you guys so much for sharing your thoughts and making my story feel appreciated. It's good to see people are still enjoying **Bringing Back What's Dead**.

And now, I shall bid you all adieu!

_**----SpeedDemon315**_


	10. Chapter 10: Triumph and Agony

_Bringing Back What's Dead_

**Chapter 10: **Triumph and Agony

**Summary: **Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? [SakuraxSasori]

Text:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

'_Inner Sakura'_

_**Flashback/Lyrics**_

Music/Songs:

"All We Are" by Warlock

**Disclaimer: If Naruto was mine, why in the heck would I be needing this? More importantly, there would be no need for this story, would there?**

* * *

_**All we are  
All we are, we are  
We are all, all we need  
All we are  
All we are, we are  
We are all, all we need.**_

**_There's beauty in the heart of the beast  
Fear behind the eyes of the thief  
I know you know we're all incomplete  
Let's get together and let's get some relief._**

* * *

"Where's my wife?"

Itachi and Zetsu exchanged slight, solemn glances, nodding silently to each other before replying.

"She is safe," Itachi responded apathetically, his face betraying not a single thread of emotion even as Shikamura simmered with immense concern and rage for the safety of his wife. "We are not your enemies, Nara Shikamaru, despite what you have been told."

"Oh really?" Shikamaru retorted sharply, fingers wrapped around a kunai knife, "Give me one excellent reason why I should believe or trust you for that matter."

"Tsunade lied to you and then used you to further her own selfish schemes. What more proof do you need, Shikamaru?"

Snapping his head in the direction of the new speaking, the said jounin narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Sakura but in the blink of an eye, his hostile demeanor was replaced with shock when he then saw who accompanied her: Akasuna no Sasori.

"How?" he gasped, staring confoundedly at the couple while at a loss for words, "Sakura…?!"

Sakura sighed heavily, knowing full well that the appearance of her husband would cause many who heard of his death to sputter into a series of questions. Earlier, she had quickly filled in the details to Zetsu and Itachi (the Sharingan master had his suspicions on what she had been up to) and explained in spite of him leaving the Akatsuki, Orochimaru wasn't their real foe. The two criminals merely nodded and told her they would respect her decision prior they formally welcomed Sasori back into the organization. Sakura was rather relieved they had taken her story rather well; Sakura knew she would be getting an earful of cusses and volume-grating outbursts from Hidan and Deidara when they hear her little story and explanation.

_And count on Deidara to instigate spat about art when he sees Sori-kun again…_

Shaking herself out her pensive reverie, Sakura refocused her attention back to Shikamura and waved her hand exasperatedly at his rather flabbergasted visage. "Not now, Shikamaru. Let's just say Sasori is back from dead and is among the living and we'll leave it at that. All right?"

Despite being dissatisfied with this vague, short answer, the spiky haired ninja nodded stiffly, still eyeing both Sasori and Sakura incredulously. "Fine. Where's Ino, Sakura?"

"She's safe. In fact, Ino is sleeping at the moment. She's been through all lot during her captivity time in Cloud." Sakura replied swiftly, never tearing her unblinking, professional gaze from Shikamaru as the conversation deepened. "Speaking of Cloud, there's something I have to inform you. _Privately." _Her emphasis on the last word sent a message to the three Akatsuki members and Choji, who glanced impassively at one another before nodding in agreement to Sakura's unspoken wish.

"We'll watch over Ino in case she wakes up," Sasori told Sakura, his crimson eyes alight with a hidden plan. Ere Sakura would respond, he had his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her into a tight, loving embrace, his lips firmly pressed against hers. Closing her eyes, Sakura blissfully immersed herself in the tender sensation of Sasori's kiss and his warm body so nigh to her own, kindling the spark inside of her womb that would soon ache for his touch once more. Much to her dismay, they were forced to part and Sasori along with other men headed back to their campsite, leaving Sakura alone with Shikamaru.

Inhaling deeply and exhaling to steady herself, she turned her attention back to the Nara scion after Itachi, the last one in the line, disappeared under the obscure canopy of trees.

"What is it, Sakura?" asked Shikamaru carefully, noting the subtle signs of distress marked on the said kuniochi's features. Her entire body screamed out sorrow and even her emerald eyes that once shone so brightly and truthfully were dulled by some grave tidings. "What did you want to talk to me about?" He almost had to choke out the last words, for dread was clawing at his chest like a ravenous monster, feeding off the slight terror rising inside of him from suddenly morose roseate-haired medic-nin.

"Shikamaru," began Sakura slowly, as if she was about to announce the death of someone he loved, "Ino's…she's—" Faltering, she leveled her viridian orbs at his dusky ones, commiseration awash on her sun-kissed features. What she uttered next shattered Shikamaru's world to pieces.

"She's pregnant, Shikamaru."

* * *

Sasori, Itachi, and Zetsu kept a sharp eye on Choji, who in returned, stared back at them with equal distrust. Upon arrival to their site, he had rushed himself towards Ino's side, hovering over her like an overprotective watchdog. Choji shot a glare towards the three criminals ere he refocused his attention back to Ino, his scowling face relaxing as he descried Ino slumbering tranquilly without a care in the world.

While this went on, Sasori averted his gaze away from the two Leaf shinobi and directed his gaze somewhere else, towards the path in which they had derived from. He was hoping the meeting between his wife and Shikamaru would end well and that he didn't have to sprint to them just to break up a tumultuous fight provoked by a distraught Nara. Frankly, there was enough tension and so-called excitement for today, he wasn't in the mood for another battle. After all, practically demolishing the Cloud Village sated his urge for combat and bloodshed and now, all he desired for was to have Sakura in his arms again while their son, Shinkutsuki, exuberantly played around them.

A strenuous gall swept through their secluded area, riffling through his wavy crimson locks while his unblemished Akatsuki cloak flapped effortlessly against the wind. Memories began pouring back to him as Sasori allowed his mind to wander into the past while he gazed idly at the verdure surrounding them. He could recollect that the day had been rather windy when he and Sakura first met and their encounter wasn't down in the pit with his grandmother Chiyo like everyone had alleged to believe. No…they encountered each other even before that particular fight.

Sasori held back a smirk, memories of that particular moment flashing in his head. If they both hadn't on a mission and managed to bump into the other like that, none of this at all would have betided.

_**He had been expecting many things during his solo stint for Pain.**_

_**Like ambushes from rival ninjas who pitiably believed they could capture or kill him with their measly, weak skills. Or coming across enraged wildlife that didn't care much for his art with puppets and felt threaten by his superlative presence. Or perhaps even running into other natural nuisances, such as thunderstorms or non-stop rain. **_

_**However, Akasuno no Sasori certainly didn't except to have a pink-haired female crash-land on top of him. **_

"_**Ah! I'm so sorry!" exclaimed the young kuniochi, viridian orbs currently being hidden under tresses of maiden's blush. "The bough underneath me just shattered–I didn't know the branch was going succumb so easily to pressure!" She peered at him with deep concern, analyzing him for any injuries as she tucked a few strands behind her ears. **_

"_**Are you all right? I didn't break or bruise anything did I?"**_

**Nothing but my pride, kuniochi. **

"_**I'm fine, as long as you get off me," Sasori muttered indifferently, searing the strange girl with his deadly garnet eyes for a moment, striking her speechless. Then a faint, rosy hue spread itself across her cheeks and she quickly scrambled off his sprawled body, finally noticing the rather intimate position they had been in.**_

"_**Hai, hai–so sorry about that! Are you sure you're okay? Let me check and see—"**_

"_**I told you, I remain perfectly unscathed. There's nothing for you to worry about, kunio—" Before he could finish his sentence, he found himself once more on the ground, being pinned via his shoulder by the peculiar green-eyed ninja.**_

"_**Well, I'm going to see if that's an accurate statement or not. Quit squirming, I'm a professional medic for Pete's sake! I know what I'm doing!" **_

_**Sasori bit back a retort of what sort of medics just fall from trees after they didn't double-check the strength of tree branches. The last entity he needed was to enrage this girl who he had no idea who she was or where she came from to cause bodily harm to him prior he even finished the mission. Sasori didn't want to explain to Pain the reason for him failing was due to a mysterious, roseate-haired medic-nin. If he hadn't known the man better, he would have esteemed that Pain would be highly amused by his excuse. **_

"_**Hold on, this will only take a minute or two…" In an instance, an amiable, faint celadon glow formed around her hands and in total silence, she moved her hands over his form, scanning for any unseen injuries or wounds. After what seemed like hours to the ex-Suna shinobi, the pale emerald luminescence faded away and she rested her hands to her lap, staring expectantly at him.**_

"_**There are no breaks anywhere in the bones," she began, her crisp, methodical voice ensnaring Sasori's attention so rapidly that its pace almost matched the speed of light. "Unfortunately, there are some severe bruising and mild fractures, especially in the ribs. You'll need to have your whole torso bandaged up to prevent any movement hence you shouldn't be moving around much for about a week or so." **_

_**That last bit of information nearly jarred Sasori out his observation state and his lips curled back into a dark, troubling frown. One whole week sitting still, doing absolutely nothing–that was absurd! He couldn't afford to be idle for that long, Pain would make his ears bleed with all the displeased remarks and repudiations if he delivered him the news of why his mission would be prolonged for a bit. That was just asking for a volcano to blow up, Pain wanted tasks to be done flawlessly and **_**quickly.**_** Not to accomplish both would simply be idiotic. That was one lesson Deidara still had trouble remembering. **_

"_**I'm afraid I don't have time to be immobile, I have errand to run and some cracked ribs are certainly not going to prevent me from succeeding." He scrutinized her curiously, ignoring the protest that was about tumble out of her mouth at his refusal. "You said you were medic, correct? Can you fix my fractured ribs?" **_

_**She nodded. "I can but even when I do, your ribs will still be delicate and run the risk of breaking again. Some rest should help the mending process along at a much faster rate." **_

"_**I'll take that chance. Just heal me and we both can go our separate ways," Sasori grounded out, wishing she never plunged down from that putrid, Godforsaken tree and collided brusquely him. If only Deidara had been around…then he would have made sure this pink-haired stranger landed on top of him instead. **_

_**The young kuniochi cut him a lethal glower, evidently irked by his rather curt attitude. "You know, you're being fairly grouchy and touchy to someone who is about heal your bones back together," she stated dryly, the miraculous green light encasing her hands again, "Are you always this tetchy to people you help you?" **_

"_**That's none of your business, kuniochi," Sasori intoned impassively, rolling his eyes at her antics, he didn't have time for a meaningless verbal spat. The kuniochi glared daggers at him, viridescent eyes rife with indignant fire and wroth. Judging by her silently enraged expression, it almost looked like she was having a debate with herself whether or not she should throttle the life out of him or stand up, walk away, and leave him be. **_

_**He preferred the latter, he had no intentions in dying today.**_

"_**There! I'm done! Happy now?" **_

_**Her clearly displeased mood was shown through her cool, acidic voice and Sasori was tempted to smirk arrogantly at her and reply with a snarky comment just to incite her wrath. As he was about to add more fuel the raging flames, he felt an inner tug at his shinobi senses and tuning the rosette-headed female out, he concentrated at his fullest to detect where he sense the brief scent of chakra. Just as he was about to locate the owner, a plethora of kunai knifes abruptly rained down from the canopy of trees, aiming straight for the unsuspecting medic-nin and the stationary Akatsuki member. **_

_**Eyes widening, he cried, "Watch out!" before wrapping his arms around the female and rolling them out of danger's way, ignoring the painful throes shooting back and forth in his torso. When he looked back, countless of kunai knives had embedded themselves into the ground where he and the medic once laid. **_

As the events unraveled, their assaulters turned out to be some rogue ninjas looking for a challenge and thought a slightly injured Sasori would provide them some entertainment. They had other plans for Sakura but their underestimation of her soon became their downfall. In no time, Sakura produced the lush, murky forest into a desolate carnage of wreckage and splintered trunks with massive creators spotting the terrain. Back then, Sasori was downright stunned to witness this peculiar, slightly petite kuniochi knock over trees like they were toothpicks and easily shatter the bones of their adversaries as they descended upon the oddly-paired duo with all their might.

There were thirteen of them and he and Sakura managed to defeat them all singlehandedly. He even challenged her to a game of sorts, to see who could kill the most shinobi. At first, she was taken aback by his suggestion yet soon hollered "Count me in!" after one incredibly thick-skulled ninja had enough guts to say a particular lewd, raunchy comment towards her. Then it was war.

Of course, he ended up winning: 8-5. Sakura came close but he wasn't named 'Scourge of the Red Sand' for nothing. However, after when they treaded away from the sanguinary, contorted corpses of their foes, Sasori recalled a fleeting spark of him being impressed with Sakura's talents and out of curiosity, even inquired her name.

"_**My name? It's Sakura." **_

"Mmhhhmmm…Sakura?" croaked out Ino, snaring all four men's focus as she slowly began to awake from her slumber. Her eyelids fluttered as her mouth formed a small yawn as she stretched her arms out before opening her eyes fully to take in her surroundings. "Where am I–_CHOJI?!_"

At the sound of his name, the said ninja jerked up in response and immediately thundered off a series of questions all regarding her condition and well-being.

"I'm fine, Choji, really I am. Sakura and her friends took great care of me." Ino stopped shorted when she noticed Sakura wasn't around the three males who had helped her escape from her abysmal cell. "Wait a minute… Where's Forehead girl?"

"She's talking with Shikamaru," Zetsu answered graciously, his gilt eyes resting on her form kindly as he approached her with caution so he wouldn't alarm the blonde kuniochi or her childhood companion. "Are you hungry at all? I do believe I have some leftovers in my pack."

Nodding her head, Ino eagerly accepted his offer and voraciously chomped down on the dangos and the crispy ruby red apple that had been left for her. Choji, abruptly getting famished himself, took out a bag of his favorite barbecue potato chips and devoured his snack completely as Ino explained to him about her mission, the capture, and Tsunade's ultimate betrayal. The Akimichi heir blanched as Ino delved deeper into the sickening, deplorable events of her nearly four-month captivity. Notwithstanding, the three Akatsuki members, Zetsu especially, noted during her narration Ino left out the more wanton, violating moments when she was at the Cloud shinobis' mercy. Her neglect on the sensitive topic was probably due to the fact she didn't want to witness a wave of agony descend upon Choji's countenance if he ever heard that his teammate had been subjected to cycles of violent rape.

As Ino and Choji rattled on, Sasori and Itachi averted their gaze away from the pair and fixed their eyes solely on the concealed pathway that would lead them to Sakura and Shikamaru. They could only hope the discussion between them was going well.

* * *

Shikamaru wished there was something he could grab, an object he could fiercely grasp and curl his fingers around, all to hold him down and keep him in place. No, Ino couldn't be pregnant, it wasn't possible because she was that would mean—

He broke viciously off that train of thought, no even wanting the notion of his wife being violated to enter his brain. "Sakura," he rasped out, struggling to prevent himself from falling apart right in front of the female Akatsuki member, "You must be mistaken. Ino…she can't…she just can't be with a child." His voice then cracked, emotion thick within his tone. His fists clenched, the unbearable truth sinking in despite what he desired to believe. Small, silent tears dribbled down his cheeks, plaintive tokens for the ordeal his wife was forced to undergo.

"Shikamaru…I'm so sorry," Sakura replied softly, reaching out to touch his arm lightly, "Ino was so nervous to tell you, she told me she was frightened that you might leave her."

"L-Leave her?" sputtered Shikamaru, vainly attempting to wipe the tears away, "Is that troublesome woman crazy? Why would I do that? Just because I'm not the father doesn't mean I won't love the child!"

A brief smile quirked itself on Sakura's features and she stretched her arm, motioning to the path where Choji and the other Akatsuki members took to grant him and Sakura a bit of privacy. "Then tell her that, Shikamaru. Let her know that all is not lost."

As the said shinobi looked back at the former Kohona medic-nin, his angst-stricken onyx eyes became locked with her jade ones. Tsunade's demands echoed in his mind, all her speeches as Sakura, the Akatsuki, being the enemy, a threat they had to eliminate quickly before more lives were lost. But the more Shikamaru observed and pondered, he realized that the foe of Kohona wasn't Sakura or maybe not even the Akatsuki all along–it was the Hokage herself. She was the sinner who painted herself the saint while fabricating or slandering others to serve the roles of the villains. Kami-sama, the concept disgusted him.

"You're right," he whispered, nodding slowly as he rotated his body around and began walking down the secluded road where the others had treaded upon, Sakura following right behind him.

At last, the truth was known.

* * *

Burning sable eyes that once possessed shards of ice and such harshness were now ablaze with vengeful, self-righteous fire. Sasuke quickened his gait through the trees, ignoring all the times when a wayward branch would lash back and scratch him in the cheek. The brief moment of pain meant nothing to him, nothing at all. Orochimaru's suspicious departure sent alarm bells in his head even before he overheard Kabuto talking about Sakura leaving with Sasori, her husband.

A tic started in Sasuke's jaw at the mere thought of Sakura being married to a member of the Akatsuki, that notion would always haunt and infuriate him to no end. _She definitely has changed since the last time I saw her...but I can't say I don't like alteration. _

Truth be told, Sasuke liked keeping things he deemed were 'his' and he loathed to lose his possessions to someone else. In his mind, Sakura was suppose to wait for him, still fawn over him like she use to and allow him entry to her heart. Yet Fate decided to be a complete bitch on him and present to him with a Sakura who not only had moved on and completely forgot all about him, but also was the wife of a missing-nin who was part of the same organization his cold-blooded older brother was in. The meeting would have been much worse if she had been wedded to Itachi instead of Sasori.

Then he really would have raised Hell.

Vehemently ridding his mind of Sakura and the Akatsuki, Sasuke dexterously jumped to the next branch, reaching out to detect the chakra signature of his sensei and anyone else he could be possibly with. He was going to find Orochimaru and deduce where he was heading to. If his assumptions were correct, the snake Sanin would lead him straight to his pink-haired former teammate and Sasori, and they would then unwittingly bring him directly to…

…Itachi.

* * *

Of course, after Ino's condition had been taken care of and all the misconceptions wrought by Tsunade was cleared up, the four Akatsuki members and three Leaf shinobi got the surprise of their life when a gigantic serpent crashed through the thicket and the forest around them. Alarmed, Choji, Shikamaru, and Ino quickly snatched up some weapons once they saw who rode the mammoth-sized snake and immediately began to prepare a counterattack when Sakura held her arm up authoritatively and voiced out, "You guys…_don't_."

"What? Why?!" demanded Choji, glaring daggers at Orochimaru, who cocked his trademark smirk at them. "Sakura, this man is your enemy too!"

"Not anymore," she replied promptly, taking assertive steps towards Orochimaru and Manda, "you all still have much to learn…" Trailing off, she returned her attention back to the golden-eyed man and was about release a cocky comment but then abruptly stopped short when she got a closer look on who was gathered in Orochimaru's arms.

"Shinkutsuki!" she cried out in astonishment, sprinting towards him and Orochimaru, fear and panic seizing her heart in a vice-grip. "Orochimaru, where did you get him?"

"From Anko," he answered grimly, his eyes flashing irately when he said his ex-student's name, "she was attempting to kill him. Thanks to my mother, I was able to reach Shinkutsuki in time." He handed the energetic toddler over to Sakura, who in return embraced her son so fiercely that feeble protests emitted out of him that consisted of asking her to not hug him so hard.

"Did I hear him right? Did he say 'his mother'?!" exclaimed Ino, baby blue eyes wide as sausages, "Or am I going insane?"

"You're not. I heard 'mother' all right," remarked Choji with equal shock, "That's something we were never told of."

"That's because Tsunade and the rest of Kohona don't want to you to know about the many skeletons that lurk in their closets," drawled out Orochimaru, piercing them with his amber orbs. Both Ino and Choji shivered at his tense gaze and resisted the urge to gulp. No matter what was stated, Orochimaru still was a highly intimidating shinobi and could kill someone in a second without batting an eyelash.

While this went on, Sakura brought Shinkutsuki to Sasori, who, for the first time in his life, was finally able to hold his son. The rare smile that he only showed for Sakura was now creeping up on his lips as he beheld his son at last, his arms supporting Shinkutsuki's small frame.

"Are you really my otōsan? You look exactly like what okāsan tells me!" chirped Shinkutsuki, bright emerald eyes gazing curiously up at Sasori.

"Hai, I am," murmured Sasori, hardly able to grasp the fact that he and Sakura made such a beautiful being–he was absolutely perfect. This was his son, this little boy with apple green eyes, wavy raspberry tresses, and a broad, cheerful beam that could split his cherubic face in two.

Shinkutsuki grinned even wider at his father's words, wrapping his arms around Sasori's neck in an attempt to give him a hug. "Okāsan promised me she would bring you back to us! And she did, my okāsan kept her promise to me!" Chuckling, Sasori patted his son's head as Sakura gave both of them a small kiss on their cheeks.

"All I can say is that I'm glad I could, Shinkutsuki," Sakura replied softly, thanking Kami-sama and other divine being for allowing her family to become whole once more.

After some many explanations, questions, and answers, Orochimaru and Sōmeihoshi's story finally was revealed to Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji. They were completely silent when the tale was over; merely exchanging glances while the news ate away at them like acrimonious acid gnawing on organic matter. They would have question the authenticity of Orochimaru's words if it hadn't been for Sakura. The rosette-haired medic-nin believed him and Sōmeihoshi and the Leaf trio trusted Sakura now more than ever (especially after Tsunade's manipulation of them came out into the open) and her belief in Orochimaru was good enough for them so no incredulous enquires were needed.

Orochimaru then had granted them the out-lined, detailed workings of his plan. The civilians were already evacuated and out of harm's way (Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji breathed out a sigh of relief at this), leaving his army of Oto shinobi to deal with armed forces of the Leaf Village.

"But what about the rest of our friends? They don't know about what Tsunade has been doing behind closed doors!" protested Ino. Sakura nodded as well, mulling about a certain boisterous blonde ninja who constantly declared he was going to be Hokage someday.

Looking up from his map, Orochimaru answered placidly, "That's why it's crucial that you three head back to Kohona to tell them the truth and persuade them to do the right thing."

"_US_?" ejaculated Ino, evidently flabbergasted, "You got to be joking!"

"Think about it, Ino," cut in Sakura, ensnaring all attention now, "Shikamaru is considered to be a genius back in Leaf and you and Choji had some respectable positions as well. I know if I returned, I could convince Naruto and Kakashi but that's all. Sōmeihoshi is most likely to be there when the battle begins so if you find her, you can use her to spread the tale around. Ino, you can use your capture with Cloud as an example to further prove Tsunade's deception."

Shikamaru nodded, catching on with Sakura's tangent. "And I could also include my near wild goose chase as another example, showing them how our Hokage hoodwinked us multiple times. Once the shinobi begin to distrust her, we're for certain to have most of them joining our side. Soon, word will spread like wildfire and Tsunade's defenses will collapse into shambles. A team cannot function when the followers don't trust their leader."

"Precisely," finished Orochimaru, a triumphant glint in his pupils. He began rolling up his map, preparing himself for an impending departure. "We better move out soon, the invasion no doubt will commence soon."

"How about in a few hours?" suggested Itachi, who was completely mum during the whole conversation. His garnet eyes bore against Orochimaru, as if daring him somewhat.

The corner of the Otokage's mouth quirked upwards briefly and he nodded, ignoring the intensity of Itachi's scrutiny. "Of course. I'm sure two hours or so would be fine." But he caught the unspoken message in Itachi's eyes: _We'll talk later. _

_Yes, we shall, Itachi. _

* * *

"So," began Orochimaru, once he and Itachi found a private sanction in the forest where no one could stumble across their meeting and overhear their discussion, "What is it that you wish to converse with me, Itachi?"

"How's Sasuke?" came the blunt, toneless voice of Itachi.

"He's fine–still despises you with every fiber of his being, if that's what you wanted to know," Orochimaru remarked staidly. Itachi nodded, ebony tomoes swirling serenely against the crimson backdrop of his eyes. "Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

"No." Itachi shifted his gaze back to the serpentine shinobi, a different yet unreadable expression overtaking his features. "Orochimaru, Sakura told us she healed your arms hence she was with you the whole time during her absence from the Akatsuki."

"Correct," the said man answered swiftly, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. Where was Itachi getting at?

"Four months," the Sharingan master murmured, an inscrutable yet nostalgic impression flickering across his pupils as he spoke, "Even though she came to visit us on and off to check up on Shinkutsuki and see how he and the rest of us were holding up, you still had plenty of time to be close with Sakura." The last phrase caused Orochimaru to stiffen; he suddenly realized what this was about now: Sakura.

"She still loves Sasori, if you're wondering," Orochimaru retorted, narrowing his eyes at Itachi with displeasure. Sometimes, the elder Uchiha saw far too much for his own good.

"I know that. Their love is irrefutable so no doubts rest in my mind," replied Itachi casually, seating himself on a rather tall stump in a nonchalant manner. For a moment, they didn't speak, the suffocating hush looming over them like an impregnable pall of omen. Orochimaru could feel his whole body alert and tingling with anticipation, waiting for Itachi's next comment. Just when he thought they were going to lapse into a round of silence, Itachi once more caught him off guard.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" Itachi bowed his head a bit, some of his sable tresses dropping over his visage to obscure the hidden impressions from view. "I too had feelings for Sakura but I reckon they were not as strong as yours, Orochimaru."

"When was this?" Orochimaru asked softly, unaware of his body relaxing at Itachi's admission.

"A few months after Sasori and Sakura's affair had begun," the ex-Leaf shinobi answered thusly, "He would sometimes bring her to one of our secondary bases and that's where we received our first glimpses of her. At first, I didn't have an exact opinion of her yet I soon found her to be remarkably intelligent and an excellent kuniochi. When a year had passed and Sakura defected from Kohona and stayed with Sasori permanently, I started to experience certain…_emotions _the more I became acquainted with Sakura."

"Did you ever love her?"

With a deep sigh, Itachi shook his head slowly. "No, I never came that close to where you are. As I reflect upon those memories, perhaps I had an infatuation of sorts with her or a crush, more or less. Although seeing her with Sasori, touching and kissing him still sent pangs through me heart consistently. But...somehow, I managed to move on, I suppose. Eventually I allowed time to wear the affection off and heal the wounds. Now, my love for her is like what an older brother has for his younger sister."

A bitter chuckle rose from Orochimaru, if only that could be so simple for him. "Thanks for the background narration, Itachi, but this…" he paused, as if his love for Sakura had suddenly burst from within him and seized his essence, claiming him wholly.

"I don't believe I can ever get over this, of what I feel for her, Itachi," he whispered with a hiss, the wind carrying his morose statement over to the said Sharingan master. He lifted his head up and in that instant, gold meet ruby.

"For some, they never can."

* * *

The two hours Orochimaru had set up for preparation and to gather their effects was coming to a close when abruptly, the tall, pale Sanin halted, his nostrils flaring as his gilt orbs ruthlessly surveyed the vicinity around them.

"Sasuke…!" he hissed out, his darkly smooth timbre reverberating across the forest, baffling everyone else that were ready to set off, "Sasuke is here!" _That whelp must have followed me once he tracked down my chakra signature. I should have know he'd become suspicious once I left Oto. _

"What? Where?" exclaimed Shikamaru, a kunai knife already in his hand. Orochimaru whirled around to face them, noting Shikamaru, his wife and best friend, Zetsu, Sakura, Sasori, and Shinkutsuki were present. Sakura was ramrod straight when she heard Orochimaru's announcement and a shadow passed over her viridian eyes as she clutched her son closer to her chest.

Itachi was missing.

_Dammit! If Sasuke finds him— _

Prior he could demanded where Itachi was, an enormous explosion burst out behind them, smoke billowing out all around them while shards of debris and twigs flew outward. A cacophony of distorted chirping birds filled the thick air as everyone regained their footing and collected their bearings.

Through the clouds of dirt, Itachi sailed by them, his katana drawn and glistening in the sunlight. Just a few seconds off appeared Sasuke, his Chidori blazing chaotically in his right hand. His usually obsidian eyes were replaced with his Sharingan.

"ITACHI!" Sasuke roared, oblivious to audience underneath him, "COME BACK!"

"You're still too weak, foolish little brother," Itachi answered indifferently, blocking Sasuke's next assault, "You do not possess enough contempt to kill me."

Frowning at the squabble between two brothers, Sakura rushed up to a fallen tree and grasping the truck tightly, she swung the shattered tree around while yelling out, "Hey, Sasuke!"

Right when the said ninja snapped his head around in her direction, he was confronted with an elm tree hurling straight towards him. As Sasuke attempted to dodge the elm in mid-air, Itachi had used Sakura's distraction to his advantage and rejoined the group, placing himself next to Sakura and Zetsu.

"Thank you, Sakura," he muttered to her. In response, she smirked, viridescent orbs scintillating with mirth and devilry.

"Anytime, Itachi. Though I don't know why you can't simply tell him the truth. It'll save us all a whole lot of trouble."

"You know I can't do that, not just yet." Shaking her head wordlessly, Sakura inwardly cursed whoever–or whatever–was preventing Itachi from informing Sasuke of what really betided the night of the Uchiha massacre and how Kohona's government partook in the sanguinary carnage.

After he managed to maneuver around the enormous elm, Sasuke landed agilely back on the ground, his Sharingan eyes whirling madly at motley entourage. Shock slipped onto his countenance when he witnessed Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji at the scene. "What are you three doing here? Why are you with them?" he gasped hoarsely, still taken aback by their appearance amidst cloaks of ebony and garnet.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, exasperated by the derailing of events. "It's a long, troublesome story," he replied laxly, yawning slightly. Why at the precise minute they were about to leave, Sasuke just had to arrive and delay them? "We're going to Kohona–you should come with us. Naruto is dying to see you."

"I could care less!" spat Sasuke, reverting back to his hateful, wrathful demeanor and summoning his Chidori once more, "I'm not going back! Not until I get my revenge!" Just as he was about to speed towards the oddly established platoon, a light azuline blur collided right into him, knocking the lone Uchiha survivor promptly off his feet and sending him skidding a few yards away.

"Sorry we're late," said Kisame, swinging Samehada around before resting the spiky, bandaged blade onto his shoulders, "But we got your message earlier, Itachi."

"And it was completely fucked up!" came Hidan's voice, followed by a sullen Kakuzu and a rather peevish Deidara, "Since when did fucking Orochimaru become a goddamned ally of ours?"

"Since now," Orochimaru replied tonelessly, turning his attention away from the newly arriving Akatsuki members to the battered, furious Sasuke. He was slowly getting up to his feet but already the serpent Sanin could detect a good portion of Sasuke's energy had been drained.

_Yet that alone won't be enough to stop him…_

"Itachi!" hollered Sasuke, struggling to his knees, "Don't you dare think about leaving like last time!"

"This brat again?" grumbled Kisame, leveling his beady eyes at latently moving Sasuke, "Itachi, how many more times he is going to make attempts on your life?" It ended up being a rhetorical question for Itachi uttered nothing. Deidara, suddenly curious that Itachi's younger brother was here, zoned in on the young ninja with his scope.

"This is your brother, Itachi, yeah?" he remarked, a trace of humor in his timbre, "Kind of a scrawny fellow, isn't he—" His words were subsequently cut off when a raging Sasuke came after him, hurtling two shurikens at the blonde explosion artist. Cursing, Deidara nimbly eluded the attacks, sending a small clay bomb his way.

"Eat that, un!" he shouted, agitation marked fiercely on his visage. Snatching some more clay from his pack, he began molding a prodigious piece while Sasuke started charging full force at him. "I'll keep this kid, busy, yeah! All of you, just get going, un!" While one hand was busy morphing his giant clay bird, he used his free hand to launch some more bombs at Sasuke, who had to jump and change his path of direction to avoid being blown up into pieces.

Heeding his advice, his fellow members and their recently affirmed allies began retreating, combing through the forests as they commenced with their journey and mission to Kohona. However, before they left the precipitant battlefield entirely, Itachi sent a clone out to Deidara, delivering a message and an order for the short-circuit Akatsuki member to follow:

"Deidara. Don't kill Sasuke."

* * *

_**Stronger than a mountain of steel  
Faster than hell on wheels  
We've got, we've got all the power we need  
Let's build a playground on this old battlefield.**_

_**All we are  
All we are, we are  
We are all, all we need  
All we are  
All we are, we are  
We are all, all we need.**_

* * *

**Color Glossary:**

Celadon- pale green

Azuline- blue

Finally, I managed to crack out another chapter! Now, I wonder if I can finish this before school starts…I sense a challenge for myself. (This chapter would have been out yesterday if there wasn't a glitch on !) And yes, the chapter was named after one of Warlock's albums, in case anyone out there was wondering.

Well, I hope this chapter managed to answer a lot of questions or satisfy you in general. I had a feeling that I was overdo in explaining how Sakura and Sasori first met in my story. So...I hope the flashback was suffice.

Now, I can finally get to the invasion of Kohona and all the real battle scenes since everyone will soon be in the same setting shortly save for Deidara and Sasuke. Yes, I am doing my version of their little fight and don't worry Deidara fans, our favorite explosive artist shall not perish! I give you my word as a fellow writer and ardent Akatsuki fan. So that's something for you all to look forward to: Deidara whooping Sasuke's arse.

To my reviewers, I would love to thank: TsukiharaKitty, bellacullen3, 15thBurningFiddle, , liteofsky, Vesper chan, TsubasaAi1314, yellowcamaro, Alex the Ninth, and Hiei's Cute Girl. Again, I thank you all for your critiques, comments, questions, etc. Reading them gives me a surge of unparallel delight.

And just to add before I make my exit, I still hosting up a challenge (it contains unique, crack pairings so watch out!) for anyone interest in participating. Information and rules can be found at the bottom of my profile.

Adieu, readers!

_**----SpeedDemon315**_


	11. Chapter 11: Life Burns

_Bringing Back What's Dead_

**Chapter 11: **Life Burns

**Summary: **Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? [SakuraxSasori]

Text:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

'_Inner Sakura'_

_**Flashback/Lyrics**_

Music/Songs:

"Life Burns" by Apocalyptica

**Disclaimer: Ah, what I give to be the creator of Naruto! You wouldn't have to worry about me spinning the Wheel of Character Death (yeah, only TK Grimm will understand that reference) so much. The Akatsuki wouldn't be on that wheel, I can assure you that. **

* * *

_**We break our enemies with fear, and  
We've seen how the tears come around  
We've built our confidence on wasteland  
We've seen how the walls come down.**_

_**Life burns!**_

* * *

Onyx, pudgy columns of smoke rose into the colorless sky as Naruto raced through the besmirched, ruined streets of Kohona. He never imagined for Oto to plan another assault so soon–he thought they would be taking more time to gather their forces but perhaps he underestimated them after all.

Heavily panting, Naruto maneuvered himself around the chaos as his fellow shinobi valiantly attempted to hold off their assailers yet the first wave of Sound ninjas took the whole village by surprise. Not only that, but the recent absence of citizens puzzled everyone else to no end for Tsunade herself didn't release an order to evacuate the civilians before the siege. She was just as shell-shocked by Otogakure's assailment as everyone else yet quickly rallied all the capable warriors of Leaf to repel the intruders back. So far, all feats had been futile–grueling and tiresome at best.

Much to Naruto's displeasure and dismay, the Oto army _just kept_ _coming_. They seemed to have crawled right out of the woodworks of Kohona and appeared out of thin air. There were countless Sound platoons, so many enemy ninjas dispatching the defenders of the Leaf Village left and right.

Gritting his teeth furiously together, the spiky flaxen-haired chûnin whipped out two kunai knives and began slashing his was through the thick hordes of Sound shinobi. Blood splattered against his cheek as he blindly charged through the posse, completely disregarding the reluctant movements of his adversaries. He had to make sure the others were all right—

"Naruto!"

The said young man halted dead in his tracks, azure eyes wide with disbelief. Mouth agape, he slowly rotated his body around in a 90 degree angle to face the person who uttered his name. As he turned, Naruto rolled the voice inside his head, its steady, professional use of his name echoing nostalgically in the recesses of his mind. When his clear cerulean orbs meet serene evergreen, Naruto felt like he could move the world.

His best friend Sakura had returned.

* * *

"Come on, Uchiha, yeah! You can do better than that, un!" taunted Deidara, a cheery lilt in his timbre as he easily dodged and danced around Sasuke's many attacks. The said young man roared in raged as he charged again towards the explosive artist, Chidori crackling azuline and white around his tight, enraged fist. With his free hand, he flung several shurikens at the direction where Deidara was going, forcing him to whirled around and head the other way.

Sasuke smirked–that's exactly what he planned for the Akatsuki member to do. Legs launching out and Chidori ablaze, he raced full force at the startled Deidara, hurling a kunai knife to stall the hot-blooded bomb expert even further. Deidara eluded the weapon but the knife snagged on one area of his cloak, firmly pinning the blonde against a tree. He struggled and snarled against his untimely capture, viciously tugging at the hem of his cloud embroidered cloak but with no avail.

"You were right, you know, about me doing better," mocked Sasuke, his face smug and complacent as he plunged the hectically chirping flux of electricity straight into the stomach of Deidara, carmine droplets splashing in every which way. A wretched gasp erupted from Deidara's bloody mouth, his chest heaving out and in erratically in desperate attempt for air. Ignoring the dying shinobi in front of him, Sasuke merely wrenched the kunai knife out of the tree and placed the weapon underneath Deidara's throat. Just when he was about to aim for the kill, the blonde artist disappeared into swirls of smoke, rendering Sasuke to stare openly at the vacant ground.

_What?! He was a clone? Where is the real him? _

Clutching the kunai knife furiously to his person, Sasuke whipped his head all around him, assaying to sense the location of Deidara. Behind him, tiny clay figurines of birds and insects hovered near him, their presence alone marking the younger Uchiha's doom. Eyes wide, Sasuke spun rapidly around, as if he just deduced danger was knocking on his door. However, Sasuke noticed the clay aviators a second too late and could only jump back to escape the worse of the explosion. He was hurtled against a tall oak tree, invoking a detrimental cry as the force of his entire being collided with solid oak magnified and ravaged his back with no remorse. In the midst of his agony, gravity pulled Sasuke back down to earth, resulting in him slowly crawling out of the ruins of fallen trees.

"Too bad Sasori-danna didn't see that, un! That was a perfect example of true art, yeah!"

Sasuke grudgingly tilted his head up to witness Deidara contently sitting on the back of an enormous clay bird, smirking arrogantly at the pitiable state of Itachi's brother.

_Damn, he fooled me for sure. If I don't pull myself together, I won't be able to reach Itachi again in time to be able to kill him! I can't let this crazy, clay obsession criminal beat me!_

"This isn't over yet," Sasuke grounded out, using the splintered trunks to push himself up, "I'm going kill you!"

Deidara snorted, tossing a small sphere of clay back and forth between his hands. "I like to see you try, yeah," he responded cockily prior he dropped the little bundle of clay near Sasuke's location. The sole Uchiha survivor managed to roll himself away from harm but obtain more cuts and bruises from the versatile assailment.

"Even though Itachi told me not to kill him that doesn't mean I can't toy with him for a bit," the pony-tailed ex-Iwa nin murmured to himself drolly, commanding his bird to circle over Sasuke to see what the aggravated young ninja would do next.

* * *

Heart pulsing rapidly, Sakura exhaled deeply to soothe the tension knotting up in her muscles. To her left was Sasori, who desperately wanted to join her during her search for Naruto. The rest of the Akatsuki agreed to watch over Shinkutsuki while she, Sasori, Orochimaru, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji slipped into Kohona. Orochimaru went off to find Kabuto and his mother to begin initiating the next round of soldiers while Ino and her teammates raced off to find anyone they knew and convince them to join their side, the somewhat alliance of the infamous Akatsuki and Otogakure. Sakura didn't know how far they were faring but she prayed with all her heart they would succeed and round up everyone she once knew as fellow shinobi to their side.

For awhile it had been simply her and Sasori combing through the buildings and streets, avoiding the chance of being sighted by any ANBU members. That's when Sakura saw _him_. A patch of spiky blonde hair amongst dark masses of ebony and camouflage, true blue eyes glinting with a flash of raging scarlet.

"Naruto!" she cried, ensnaring his attention immediately. The Sound shinobi back off instantly, knowing she and the rest of the Akatsuki were on their side. Naruto noticed this strange behavior and was about burst into a series of questions but Sakura pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him pronto.

"Not here, Naruto," she whispered, grabbing his hand and hurrying him along, "Sori-kun and I will explain everything to you in a safer area. For now, you have to come with us."

"What's going–wait! _Sasori_? Your husband?" exclaimed Naruto raucously, nearly tripping over his feet as Sakura tugged him away from all the chaos.

"Yes, Naruto," the medic-nin replied dryly, "that Sasori. How many Sasoris are there?"

"But he's dead!" the blonde ninja protested, his brain nearly going into an overload mode with all this baffling, new information. "What happened?!"

"It's a long story. Once we get out of here, I will tell you shortly, Naruto."

Nodding his head slowly, Naruto digested his former female teammate's reply and took her words for granted, trusting Sakura would eventually tell him what in the world was transpiring. For some reason, he believed news of Sasori's apparent revival was probably the least astonishing tale he would have to hear.

Naruto didn't realize how right he was.

* * *

Caliginous smoke curled up into the opaque sky like writhing, contorted serpents rising for revenge. Already there were establishments reduced to rumble and wreckage littered the streets as the Kohona shinobi struggled against the Sound.

Honey brown eyes hardened at the discouraging scene before them, the owner stiff and alert. Beside her, Shizune looked wary, casting anxious glances back and forth between the door and the open window that showed them Leaf's fate.

"Being so focused with my hunt for Sakura's son I never imagined Orochimaru would attack us again so soon," Tsunade murmured bitterly, closing the window shut and closing the curtain firmly to block out all the images of destruction. "I know he's out there, somewhere, waiting to strike like the snake he is." One hand curled up into a deadly fist.

"You're going to confront him, aren't you, Tsunade-sama," voiced Shizune, evident worry in her voice. The busty Hokage nodded solemnly, slipping her emerald jacket over her shoulders and the material settled neatly around her torso.

"That's what Orochimaru expects for me to do, after all. I don't intend to disappoint him." She yanked open the door and then with a sudden burst of energy, raced outside with Shizune tailing her. Hopping onto a tall, concealed building so she could better scan the battlefield, Tsunade frowned at the sight below once everything came into view.

Oto used the element of surprise against them thus they had the advantage compared to what her fellow ninjas had. They were fighting strong, no doubt, but it was going to take a whole lot more than just strength and sheer willpower alone to turn the tables around. But Kohona was the home of some of the most illustrious, promising kuniochi and shinobi alike and Tsunade was certain with the right technique, stratagems, and a little luck, victory would be all theirs.

_Now, it's time for me to pay my former serpentine teammate a visit. _

* * *

A gust of zephyr passing through him, Orochimaru stood tall and firm like a solitary figure against the world while he beheld the beginning of Kohona's debacle. Finally, after so long of waiting and planning, this glorious moment had arrived. His mother would at last taste the sweet flavor of victory and vengeance once, feel the selfsame sensation of satisfaction that was coursing through his veins right this second. Soon, all those who ordered his father's execution or had a hand in the matter would be dead and if Kami-sama willing, Kohona could begin anew, free from all the corruptions and hideous lies that snuffed out the goodness that was once a part of the prosperous village.

As Orochimaru contemplated what the future held for Leaf, a prickling impression trickled down his spine and a long, black smirk slowly dragged itself across his lips. He should have known she would arrive sooner or later.

"Oh Tsunade," he called out softly, his silky timbre reverberating across the tumultuous vicinity, "You know I don't appreciate people who spy on me."

"And I don't appreciate people who assault my village."

With a bored sigh, Orochimaru turned around to face the slug queen, the sinister smirk still resting on his alabaster features. "Please, Tsunade, don't act all indignant on me. You know why I'm doing this. I'm certain you had one of your lackeys comb through the archives and files for anything that could possibly defeat me." He chortled bitterly, the spite residing subtly in his golden eyes. "Time well wasted, I can assure you."

"Your arms…" gasped Tsunade, her voice hushed and stunned as she disregarded Orochimaru's words. Her eyes were solely glued to the snake Sanin's now perfectly functioning arms. "How can that be? The Third…he sealed them away years ago!"

"He did but luckily for me, I had assistance," Orochimaru replied with a hint of regalement, "I have your ex-apprentice to thank for that." As soon as he mentioned Sakura, Tsunade stiffen and animosity flashed across her visage, honey brown orbs glazed with ill-kept rage.

"I should have known she would have done something like that!" hissed the Fifth Hokage, narrowing her eyes hostilely at Orochimaru, "Let me guess, she healed your arms in exchange for the resurrection of her beloved Sasori?" The Godaime's words were practically construed out of poison as she spoke, fists clenching even tighter.

An unreadable impression flickered in the Otokage's amber irises, his dark smirk broadening as he listened to Tsunade's mini tirade. "Bingo, Tsunade. And now, you have one more Akatsuki member to worry about."

The said woman rolled her eyes, getting into her fighting stance while Orochimaru unsheathed his katana and brandished the weapon methodically in front of him. "I'll take care of them once I kill you, Orochimaru, and end your vendetta once and for all."

A new luster sparked into the serpent Sanin's pupils, one that was highly amused and provoked. "Save the self-righteous speech. You and I both know what darkness lurks about in your heart." His former female teammate remained silent yet a shower of roof tiles soon followed.

The epic battle between two great ninjas had finally begun.

* * *

Sasuke glowered contemptuously up at the mammoth clay bird that circled over the battlefield, the mere sight of its inaccessibility taunting the young Uchiha that he couldn't catch it, couldn't reach out and latch onto to the hard, clay wings and achieve victory. He had been narrowly dodging Deidara's clay bombs since the very start, getting back with scorched patches and charred bits of clothing. He noticed there were dozens of times Deidara simply could have killed him but instead, didn't.

_It's as though he's playing around with me…_

"Hey, mini Uchiha, un!" called Deidara, a wicked grin twisting itself onto his lips as his bird swooped down, speeding directly at the said ninja, "Looks like your eyes aren't doing so much for you, yeah? Is this all you have–should I end this now, yeah?"

Ire clawed inside of Sasuke, screaming for retaliation and revenge against this smarmy bastard who dared to mock and toy with him. An inhuman howl broke free from him, scattering the pieces of his shattered blasé façade against the wind as Deidara laughed tauntingly at him while tossing pygmy clay bombs all around the younger Uchiha to incite him further. Gritting him teeth together, Sasuke grasped the remaining shurikens in his pouch and dove behind a tree as the blonde Akatsuki member swooped near him, the clay wings of the giant bird swiftly slicing through the smoke and air like cheese to a grater. When Deidara was within distance, Sasuke sprung out of his spot and hurtled the shurikens forwards, manipulating their movement with thin, nearly transparent string attached to them.

"_Sōshuriken no Jutsu!"_**(1) **Sasuke yelled viciously, a smug half-smile working itself across his countenance as the shurikens sailed around and over Deidara, the threads connected to the weapons wrapping themselves around the ex-Iwa's physique.

"What the hell, un?" Deidara cried out, glancing at the strings encircled around his torso and up at the young avenger whose crimson eyes whirled with deadly satisfaction.

"This time, I'll kill you," Sasuke spat, triumph blazing in his abysmal pupils, "_Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu!"_**(2)**

A fiery wall of saffron and carmine descended upon the bomb expert of the Akatsuki, avid fingers of flames zipping through the strings and engulfing its victim with surreal glee. As the fire voraciously consumed Deidara in a rapid yet agonizing pace, Sasuke smirked at his victory, crossing his arms as he slowly watched his adversary die. Now that he had finally removed the obstacle in place he can—

"Fire, yeah? Glad that's not me over there, un."

The smooth, lucid voice cut through Sasuke like a katana, absolute shock and horror immobilizing his body as his pupils dilated incredulously. _Impossible! That couldn't have been a clone; I thought I had him—_

A sorely amused chuckle echoed in his ears and before Sasuke could furiously spin around to retaliate, a sharp pressure pricked against his neck and inky spots danced about in his vision, his garnet orbs fading to ebony as his eyelids slid shut.

He was unconscious ere he slumped forward and collided with the ground.

* * *

Small beads of sweat glistened off Naruto's brow as his azure eyes flickered across the temporary "sanctuary" (as Sakura wryly coined the place) the Akatsuki had hastily established during the invasion. The notorious Itachi was here, along with his partner Kisame, and a few other criminals Naruto discovered listed in the bingo book: Zetsu, Hidan, and Kakuzu. There were a few extra bindles lying around that looked familiar to Naruto but he couldn't put his finger on who was the owner of the bundles.

During their quick sojourn here, Sakura began filling him on the details, starting from the very beginning: her deal with Orochimaru (that first sent Naruto into a sputtering wreck before she went into further detail about the bargain), the appearance of his mother Sōmeihoshi, the tragic tale of her, Orochimaru, and his father, Orochimaru reviving Sasori and then later saving their son from Anko's bloodthirsty vendetta, Ino's capture in Cloud and Tsunade's hand in the matter (Sakura could have sworn the blue in Naruto's eyes flashed garnet as rage overcame his features), the arrival of Shikamaru and Choji, Sasuke's attack on Itachi, and Deidara's offer to keep their ex-teammate at bay so they could get to Kohona just in time.

After when Sakura had finished, the blonde, fox-whiskered shinobi was at first speechless, almost odd considering how boisterous and out-spoken he was. But the roseate-haired medic comprehend that Naruto was processing in a lot, his entire world was falling apart right before his eyes and the life he knew in Kohona was becoming one woven out of half-truth and lies. Uttering nothing, she placed her hand on her friend's shoulder, silently letting him know she was there for him. Naruto covered her hand with his, a small smile curving itself on his lips.

"I'm okay, Sakura," he whispered, taking a seat, "It's just that all of this…it's so unbelievable. I don't know what to say, to be honest."

"Then don't say anything," Sakura replied softly, glancing back to see Sasori spending some quality time with their son. He was busy showing Shinkutsuki how he controlled his puppets while having them dance about for the little raspberry-headed toddler. Shinkutsuki clapped excitedly as he watched, gleefully exclaiming and lauding at his father's caliber.

Naruto nodded, his eyes suddenly glued to the ground as he idly traced imaginary patterns into the dirt with a kunai knife. Sakura was just about to stand up and leave him to his thoughts when Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji emerged out of the brush, triumphant expressions etched across their visages.

"We have allies, Sakura," announced Shikamaru, stepping aside to reveal all the shinobi he and his teammates managed to acquire. At the sight of their success, Sakura stifled a gasp, viridian orbs wide with incredulity and joy.

Behind them were Kiba, Shino, Neji, Hinata, Tenten, Lee, Kakashi, Gai, Kurenai, Asuma, and other shinobis and kuniochis that allowed themselves to hear Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji out and comprehend the truth in their words. Some of their family members were even midst the small army.

"Holy shit!" exclaimed Hidan as he beheld this spectacle, "You got to be fucking kidding me!"

"We told them everything, Sakura," cut in Ino, ignoring Hidan's crude outburst, "They realize Orochimaru and the Akatsuki aren't the enemy but Tsunade and the Kohona government."

"The idea was crazy at first but we know Shikamaru and his buddies aren't liars so we decided to listen what they said and hop along with them," added Kiba, a deviously eager glint in his eyes. Already he was itching for a fight.

"That's very assuring," spoke up Sasori, his smooth, lucid timbre attracting everyone's attention. Shinkutsuki was right behind him, his ivory face bright with unbound bliss as he followed his father around with adoring eyes, "Now, is there anyone we have to worry about?"

"Well, majority of the ANBU are still with Tsunade. They said their duty belonged to the Hokage," began Choji unhappily, a frown twisting itself across his features.

"They're wrong then. They should be fighting for what's right for the village and it's people." The furious growl belonged to none other than Naruto. With azuline irises ablaze with righteous fire, he stood up from his seat, tall and erect as he filled his gaze with the sight of his friends, allies, and people he once called his foes. His fists clenched tightly against his sides, fingernails embedding themselves so deeply into his skin that crescent markings were beginning to appear on his skin.

All of the lies, the deception, and the madness had to end here, right now. He was going to be Hokage some day and he refused to permit such corruption and betrayal to ruin the potent dream he had carried with him since boyhood. He would show Tsunade what a true Hokage should be.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go get them!" he snarled, a feral grin creeping onto his peach-toned features. Sakura smirked, glad to see her friend was up and ready for action.

_That's the Naruto I know! _

* * *

Racing through the convoluted, winding streets, Sōmeihoshi used her gnarled walking stick to propel her withered body through the whirling mass of chaos and mayhem. By now Orochimaru would be battling Tsuande, she could feel the turmoil and tension in the air. All she could pray for now was that her son emerged out of the combat victorious. If not…

"No! I cannot think like that! Orochimaru will win–he must!" the aging mystic muttered underneath her breath, making her way towards the government establishment that the serpentine Sanin had planned to fight Tsunade to death on. Finally, after what seemed like grueling, endless hours, Sōmeihoshi beheld her son and his former teammate dueling to the finish with everything they had on top of the roof.

Clutching her hands to her heart, Sōmeihoshi watched her son attack and defend, worriedly observing every time a spot of blood splattered out of his body, whether the cut was severe or not. He grimaced occasionally when he came in physical contact with Tsunade or was busy mapping out his next stratagem. So far, the tumult was a stalemate yet Sōmeihoshi knew that sooner or later, one of them would slip and make a mistake, thus granting the other the advantage.

_Only one of them will make it out of there alive and the winner will be my son!_

Mustering up the remnants of her strength, Sōmeihoshi managed to slip inside the building furtively, avoiding the eyes of potential adversaries. However, inside was another story. As Sōmeihoshi set her sights on the stairs leading towards the roof, she was accosted by several Leaf chûnins who were well aware of her part in the invasion.

"Traitor!" one roared, weapons poised that the frail yet resolved old woman in front of them. She rolled her shoulders back, beady onyx eyes rife with tenacity and raging fire as she reached into her small pouch, pulling out a huge clump of lilac powder.

"Imbeciles!" she spat, shifting her powder blue shawl up over her wrinkled visage prior to tossing the lilac powder at the charging shinobis. Every single of them inhaled the tiny grains, a murky dust of gridelin settling over them like a palpable cloud of portent. Sōmeihoshi took a step back, watching with satisfaction as each ninja collapsed to the ground a like rock in the ocean and fell in a deep, long slumber. Once all the squad members had surrounded themselves to sleep's whimsical embrace, the mystic hurried up the steps, ignoring her bones and muscles creaking and screaming for rest. Her son's life was on the line and she absolutely refused to lose him just like she lost her husband!

Sunlight splashed over her slightly hunched form when she violently thrust the door open, gifted with the sight of Orochimaru and Tsuande panting heavily, casting contemptuous glances at each other as they struggled to get back into their battles stances and resume the exhausting, stentorian fray.

Orochimaru lunged forward with his katana, narrowly eluding a deadly punch from Tsuande. Just as his blade sliced open her side, Tsuande came around to deliver a swift kick into his back yet the assault was stopped mid-way in the action when the ebony-haired Otokage's tongue shot out and wrapped itself around the busty Godaime's ankle. With a hiss, Orochimaru sent Tsuande flying and watched her skittered across the roof, the rusty orange shingles scrapping and nipping at her flesh until the skin was bleeding and raw.

A sigh of relief escaped Sōmeihoshi's lips. Orochimaru was still fighting strong–there was no need for her to worry so much.

_He can do this, I know he can. After all, he has the strength of vengeance and truth on his side. _

In no time, Tsunade slowly pushed herself back up and returned to the battlefield, the combat continued, one grueling second after the other. Each punch, each, block, each kick was like a sharp tug on Sōmeihoshi's very soul, an invisible hand clenching itself around her pulsing heart, threatening to squeeze the life out of her.

Suddenly, the stalemate took a turn and Tsuande received the upper hand. Soon, she was forcing Orochimaru to dodged more and attack less, no matter how dexterously and lethally he wielded and flourished his katana around. As Tsuande caught the pale-skinned Sanin in a smooth uppercut, Orochimaru skated roughly across the roof, his agonizing pace halted after he was at least a few yards away from the blonde slug queen. The last assailment immobilized him, leaving Orochimaru completely at Tsunade's mercy. Horror wracking her mind, Sōmeihoshi desperately wanted to run over to her son and throw her arms around him to use her body as a shield to protect him from further harm. But when she began to move, the archaic mystic discovered that fear had rooted her feet exactly where she stood, preventing any movements from taking place. All she could do was watch helplessly as Tsunade laxly walked over to her fallen son, a malicious gleam in the Hokage's honey-brown orbs.

"It's over, Orochimaru," she rasped icily, chakra forming on all around her curled fist, preparing for the final blow, "You lost…_again_."

As she swung her arm around, Sōmeihoshi's maternal instincts abruptly kicked in. Ungluing her feet to the roof, she raced forward as if hot coal were beneath her shoes, lips pursed into a determine line. There was no way Orochimaru would die here, right now, to that hypocritical, back-stabbing, treacherous kuniochi!

Doing what any mother would have executed, Sōmeihoshi leaped right in front of Tsunade's both, spreading herself wide so she could become her son's human shield. Shock bloomed in the female Hokage's visage, her eyes widening incredulously at this unexpected act. Yet she couldn't stop her fist from meeting its target.

A sickening crack echoed through out the vicinity, rendering both Sanins speechless. There stood Sōmeihoshi, blood trickling out her mouth and nose from the devastating, fatal impact of Tsunade's punch. In the mystic's right hand were envenomed needles, all embedded in Tsunade's outstretched arm. Staggering back, the blonde medic-nin gasped and grasped her poisoned arm painfully, turning her gaze away as Sōmeihoshi sank to the ground, triumph flickering in her glossy obsidian eyes.

Orochimaru was there to catch his mother before she hit the roof tiles.

* * *

Staring out into billowing structures of charcoal smoke, Madara sneered behind his mask as he inspected all the chaos running amok. Orochimaru's forces had beaten him, just has he had feared. He really craved to wring that snake's neck next time he sees his face again.

"No matter then," he murmured, pushing his murderous thoughts towards the Otokage aside as he jumped down from the lookout tree, "Once Orochimaru and his Sound shinobi are done with all the difficult, more tiresome tasks, I'll just swoop in and pick them all off, one by one."

Smirking at this promise of death, Madara melted into the shadows of the forest and his covert army of superlative ninjas soon followed him, tantamount to the Devil rallying his demonic soldiers in a war against the divine.

Fate might have been kinder to Madara if he had counted on Pain and Konan disobeying his decree to keep quiet and not warn anyone of his devious schemes.

* * *

_**A man dies like a butterfly  
Life burns from the touch of the reaper  
All things must pass  
One love is a crooked lie  
The world lies in the hands of evil  
We pray it would last.**_

_**Life burns!**_

* * *

**Color Glossary:**

Azuline- blue

Saffron- yellowish-orange

Gridelin- grayish purple

**(1)** _Sōshuriken no Jutsu_**- **Manipulated Shuriken Technique

**(2)** _Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu_- Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique

One more chapter to go, kiddies, and then this story is over! Anyone need any tissues yet? No? Yes?

I hope most of you enjoyed the little Deidara and Sasuke fight; basically, it was just Deidara showing off and hoodwinking Sasuke left and right. No matter Kishimoto says electricity doesn't win over earth. Either he has never played Poke'mon or didn't pay attention in physics class when the teacher was going over grounding (then again, I'm no physics whizz but I pretty sure on this one…).

Remember when I said in a couple of chapters ago that later on, Orochimaru was going to need a hug? Yeah, this was what I was referring to: the death of his mother. Honestly, that man is going to kill me one of these days for all the crap I pulled him through in this fanfic. Although, I can always tell him he's going to get Sakura next time around so all might be well.

And yes, Asuma is alive in this fic. Here, he never encountered the Akatsuki hence he's alive and kicking. Just wanted to mention that in case anyone was perplexed by his brief appearance.

Of course, Madara will be arriving at the last minute to stir up some trouble and I have special plans for who battles him…coughcoughSasoriandSakuracoughcough! Sorry about that, had a nasty cough in my chest that I simply had to get rid of.

Moving right along! Reviewers, I humbly like to thank: yellowcamaro, Uzumaki Saya, TsubasaAi1314, ChinaDollMaiden, 15thburningfiddle, TK Grimm, bellacullen3, lifeless hope, -delicate desires, Vesper chan, and Crystal Kira for their comments, critiques, musings, and all that jazz. Puts this idiotic beam on my face–I'm not jesting.

Yes, my challenge is still going on. Check it out when you get the chance it's at the very end of my profile.

Now, I bid you all adieu till the last chapter!

_**----SpeedDemon315**_


	12. Chapter 12: How Everything Ends

_Bringing Back What's Dead_

**Chapter 12: **

How Everything Ends

**Summary: **Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? [SakuraxSasori]

Text:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

'_Inner Sakura'_

_**Flashback/Lyrics**_

Music/Songs:

"The End Of Every Story" by Xandria

**Disclaimer: For the last time, no! Nein! Iie! Nei! Nu! Нет! And in any other language you can think of! (Languages in order of 'no': English, German, Japanese, Norwegian, Romanian, and Russian. No, I don't know most of these languages, just bits and pieces. Save for German, I'm rather good in that language—not fluent but I'm getting there).**

* * *

_**"All we've been, all we see was born so long ago  
In times of joy and of tears, we carried on  
The winds were still, did no harm to our shores  
But the seed's already sewn, now the storm will come.**_

_**Over and over we're downcast  
Only, it's only a dark past."**_

* * *

At first, all was silent.

Tsunade was motionless, struck dumb by Sōmeihoshi's selfless act to save her only son from the slug queen's lethal punch. Even though Orochimaru was mute as he cradled his dying mother tightly to his chest, his golden cat-esque eyes gleamed with unshed tears. Time had halted for him, he could barely move or hear himself breath. All of this was too much, too much for him to grasp and decipher. His mother…she couldn't have…she couldn't be—

"Okāsan?" he rasped out, feeling like all of this was one enormous nightmare for him. This wasn't suppose to happen, she was going to leave through this, to witness the last vestige of Kohona's corrupt government fall and disappear into the winds of the past.

She was_ not_ going to die!

"I'm here, Orochimaru," Sōmeihoshi croaked in response, coughing out copious amounts of blood every time she moved her lips. Her chest convulsed with agony, causing the serpentine shinobi's heart to crack even further. He pressed a finger to her lips, assaying to cease her speech so she wouldn't damage herself so.

"Don't talk, okāsan, you'll only make the pain worse," he told her softly, his rational, brilliant mind purposely eluding the inevitable. Anyone would fathom that last punch by Tsunade would ended the person's life right there but Sōmeihoshi was made of sterner stuff and cleaved to life so she could see her son's face one last time.

"Oh, Orochimaru, you always made me so proud…I'm so blessed to be your mother." She hacked up more blood, tiny ruby drops of death trickling down her wrinkled chin. "You sacrificed so much for me, so you and I could finally taste vengeance once Kohona began to crumble." She sighed contently, inhaling deeply as if she was actually trying to sample a bit of the Leaf Village's demise.

"Revenge is sweet indeed. I can die peacefully knowing no one who wronged us in the past can hurt you now." Orochimaru could practically feel his mother getting lighter with each second, sensing her soul preparing for itself for the departure to the afterlife. But he didn't want to let go of her, not know, not ever.

"Don't say such things–I can get you to Sakura, she'll heal you in no time!" he protested, his usually calm, silky voice wavering slightly from grief, knowing he was about to lose the last person who stood by his side ever since he could walk, the one person who offered him love while the rest of world believed him to be a villain.

The gnarled mystic chuckled shallowly, shaking her head feebly. "No, Orochimaru…it's too late for me. I'm old and my time is up. But Kohona is no more and you are at last free hence I am content."

Before he could say anything more, she closed her eyes and drew in her last breath, embracing Death's beckoning arms while darkness shrouded her and all sense of feeling escaped her. Then there was light, a celestial glow of startling white-gold and shimmering silver and a blanket of warmth enveloped Sōmeihoshi as her soul drifted across the path of the dead, heading towards paradise.

She could feel Suruo calling for her, reaching out so she grasp his hand and be pulled into his loving arms. After all those cruel, hard years without him, she would finally see her husband again and now nothing could ever tear them apart ever again.

_And perhaps one day, we will be a family once more…_

* * *

Rage poured endlessly from the alabaster, amber-eyed Sanin, his knuckles even whiter than death as he watched his mother expire and leave this world, off to a place better than this. Uttering nothing, he stood up and walked a few feet away from perimeter of his battle with Tsunade and gently placed the mystic's corpse on the tiles, folding her arms together to give her a contemplative, serene impression.

His mother had finally found peace and he was resolved to make sure his revenge ended in her name.

Whirling around to face his ex-teammate, Orochimaru's brilliant gold eyes harden, becoming two raging pools of liquid fire devoid of mercy and compassion. "_This ends here, Tsunade_!" he hissed, racing forward so swiftly and rapidly it was like he had wings on his feet and nothing on earth could halt his quicksilver pace.

Tsunade moved to her left, trying to dodge his deadly attack and land a punch on him but he was far too agile and slippery for her to catch. Ragged pants exploded from her dry, cracked lips and her chest heaved tumultuously as she attempted to keep up with Orochimaru's deadly speed. But even a fool could see that she fighting a losing battle and every furious, precise strike Orochimaru made against her was a blow of fury over the loss of his mother, over everything Leaf had taken from him. The final act for vengeance was deeply rooted in him, a fusion of revenge and justice so severely entrenched in his soul that he became unstoppable, his power knowing no bounds.

His katana arched lethally against the cloudless sky, slicing through the air before meeting its target. Carmine droplets splashed against Orochimaru's alabaster countenance, his attire, the katana, and the ground underneath. Tsunade gasped, blood dribbling down her chin as one hand feebly grasped onto the steel blade while the snake Sanin drove his weapon deeper into her ribcage, puncturing her lungs. The buxom Hokage tried to speak, to at least curse her former teammate but words eluded her, she couldn't move her mouth at all. Blood had clogged her throat and she began choking, sputtering and spewing out more ruby drops.

Impassively, Orochimaru yanked his katana out of Tsunade's body, watching her die a slow, agonizing death while she wheezed in a puddle of her own blood. He said nothing to her for he believed she wasn't worthy of any final statements before her departure. So he waited patiently, absorbing the sanguinary sight of Tsunade coughing and gagging on her own blood. Soon, the noises started to fade, becoming less and less frequent and more haphazard, until silence echoed across the vicinity.

Walking over to Tsunade's corpse, Orochimaru wiped the blood off his katana with the Godaime's sleeve, sheathing the sword back into its respectable scabbard once he was done. He then headed back to the frail cadaver of his mother, bending down to gather her up in his arms. Once she was secured, he leapt down from the building, jumping on top the roves as he made his way back to Kabuto and the Sound army. Once he found a safe place to leave his late mother's body, he would have to contact Sakura and tell her the news of the Hokage's death.

At long last, Orochimaru had finally slaked his and Sōmeihoshi's thirst for revenge.

Yet the vendetta came at a terrible price.

* * *

Left and right Shikamaru battled onward, slashing his way through with all the weapons at his disposal. Beside him was Ino, attacking the enemy Kohona shinobi at close range while he assailed them from afar with his shadow jutsus.

"Shikamaru!" panted Ino, dodging a bomb from delivered by a jônin nearby, "How many are left?" The said genius quickly scanned the battlefield, inwardly counting the enemy figures.

"Five–one is badly injured though."

"Sounds like a perfect opportunity for us to overpower them like we did in our genin days!" declared Choji, who had just joined the fray. He flashed his teammates a jovial grin, eager for some more action. "What do you say, Shikamaru?"

"It's possible, I'm certain we can win if we combine our skills and team up on them," mused Shikamaru, his mind calculating all the possible plans for them to reign victorious, "Now, Choji, if you inflate yourself and distract them by rolling all over the place, Ino and I can sneak up and take them out one at a time."

"Roger!" Choji exclaimed, giving him a thumbs-up prior to creating the hand seals that soon transform him into a gigantic human boulder. With a gleeful roar, he rolled straight into the heart of the fight, tearing up the field while terrorizing his foes with equal fervency.

Shaking his head, Shikamaru glanced back at his wife, glad to see a soft smile gracing her lips. Despite the tumultuous circumstances, he reached out and grasped her hand, feeling the warmth of their simple intimacy flowing through him like a ray of sunshine.

"We'll get through this, Ino. Once this war is over, we can start all over again–with the baby." Ino jerked her head up at the mentioning of the unborn child, baby blue orbs rife with hesitation and concern as she stared at Shikamaru dead in the eye, wondering if she misheard him or not. Hoping to assuage her fears, Shikamaru gently placed his hands on her belly; a tender expression blooming across his visage as thoughts of this new life was growing inside of Ino, regardless if he wasn't really the father.

"Ino, I want to raise this baby with you–I don't care that it's not mine. We can still be that one big happy family you have always wanted," he murmured, lifting his dark eyes so he could gaze back at his uncertain wife, "You have nothing to worry about, Ino."

Whether it was his kind actions or words that brought tears to her eyes it couldn't be estimated but Ino threw her arms around Shikamaru, burying her face into the crook of his neck. "Thank Kami… I wasn't sure what to do, Shikamaru. I just—" Her quiet sobs of joy drowned out the rest of the sentence and the scion of Nara clan soothingly rubbed his wife's back, noting from the distance that Choji had sufficiently taken care of remaining shinobi without any need for back-up at all.

* * *

At long last, most of the fighting had died down and the Sound plus the Akatsuki emerged triumphant over the wreckage of the Leaf Village. Nigrine, billowing clouds of smoke covered the dull grey sky as Akatsuki members regrouped after the skirmish was over.

"Where's Deidara? He should be back by now," remarked Sasori, his crimson eyebrows knitting themselves together as he contemplative his former partner's whereabouts. The puppet master craned his head to sky, as if he suspected Deidara would arrive from the sky. Sakura turned around to look the opposite way and squinted when she thought she saw a familiar blob gliding in the sky with a certain grace the medic-nin knew she had witnessed before.

"Sasori!" she exclaimed, pointing up at the caliginous figure in the pale sky, "I think that's him!"

"'Bout time," grumbled Kisame, "He sure took his time with that Sasuke twerp, didn't he?"

"That's because I told him not to kill him," Itachi replied swiftly, his face blasé as usual even though his scarlet eyes never tore their gaze away from the approaching Deidara on his clay bird. Finally, the clay bomb expert came into full view, lugging an unconscious Sasuke over his shoulder as he flawlessly jumped down from the feathery aviator's back and landed perfectly in front of the Akatsuki.

"Hey there, un," he greeted, a mocking, jovial grin splitting his features in two, "I'm sure you all missed me, yeah?"

"Not particularly," Sasori responded duly, rolling his eyes at the ex-Iwa-nin's antics, "You are quite easy to forget."

"I am not, un!" protested Diedara, a whine almost in his voice, "Tell him he's wrong, Sakura!"

_Oh dear. Now they brought me into this. Still, this is better than dragging me into one of their art squabbles…_

"You were sorrowfully missed, Deidara," she told him dramatically, placing a hand to her heart, "We wouldn't know what we would have done without you." At first, Deidara blinked, digesting her words and actions. Realization of Sakura's snarky comment dawned over him after Sasori, Hidan, and Kisame starting snickering.

"That's not funny, yeah!" the blonde Akatsuki member retorted, dumping the fallen Sasuke next to his older brother who then proceed to tie him up with chakra draining bonds so he wouldn't escape. "After all I—"

"Deidara, hush. Madara and his men no doubt can hear you a mile away." Pain's clear, smooth timbre silenced Deidara's oncoming rant and his and Konan's startling appearance ensnared the attention of all shinobi, Akatsuki, Sound, and Leaf alike.

"Madara? What do you mean?!" Itachi had lost the monotony in his voice and a concern edge had replaced it instead. Pain looked back at Itachi, orange eyes unblinking and grim.

"Madara had plans to attack Kohona before Orochimaru did but since he failed on that, he's obviously going to slaughter the civilians and the remaining Leaf shinobi who aligned themselves with us." explained Pain, watching outrage, shock, and worry flicker across every ninja's face.

"From what we have learned, he has a scheme to create his idealistic view of Utopia," added Konan, "by bringing all the great shinobi nations to their knees. He's already going to declare himself God." She frowned darkly at the last bit, deep resentment glimmering in her violet orbs.

"How like him. I should have known he would attempt something like that." Orochimaru's cold voice washed over them akin to a death toll that echoed all around him as they parted away to make room for the serpentine Sanin. "When do you think he'll be here?"

Pain opened his mouth to answer but another voice, one from all around, beat him to it.

"**I'm already here, fools."**

* * *

Jaw clenched, Sakura hostilely watched the notorious Madara emerged from Kohona's woods, an insidious, haughty sneer plastered on his lips as he ambled coolly towards them. The pink-haired kuniochi slipped her hand into Sasori's, feeling her chest and throat tightened with unbound contempt and rage. In the past, Itachi had told her all about this man and even Orochimaru informed a few more tales in what he knew about the legendary but corrupt shinobi. A man whose lust for revenge made him despicable and insane by all means, a man who truly believed he was a supreme being and all should bow to him.

"I never expected to receive a warm welcome but isn't this a little bit too much?" taunted Madara, swinging his piercing gaze at every ninja present, as if attempting to intimidate them all with his frightening prowess and panjandrum. However, his scrutiny hardened when his eyes fell upon Konan and Pain, evident fury wracked in his ebony pupils.

"Traitors, the lot of you! I should have disposed you two sooner." he spat, brandishing a long, honed katana and aimed its tip straight at Pain. The supposed Akatsuki leader stood still, not even batting an eyelash at Madara's sword.

"Then why don't you, Madara?" he answered succinctly, "Instead threatening us with death, why don't you carry out your words for once?"

Snarling at this act of impudence, Madara arched his katana out wide, disappearing and then reappearing right behind the spiky-haired missing-nin. "Have you lost yours wits, Pain? You know full well you can't win against me." Madara hissed, lowering his blade against Pain's throat, a tiny river of blood breaking out from the flesh.

"Maybe so," admitted Pain, "But do you truly think you can defeat us all?" Madara scoffed at his question.

"I could crush them all if I wanted to—"

All of sudden, a solid fist collided into his skull, its monstrous impact knocking the katana out of his hand and sending him sailing into several trees nearby. His assaulter, Sakura, glowered fiercely at the sprawled figure of Madara, ire rolling off in waves.

"That's enough, Madara!" she growled, tired of all these malefactors popping up, "I say we fight this out. If I end your life, your plans with die with you and this war is over."

Dark, malicious laughter followed her bold statement and to everyone's astonishment, Madara rose effortlessly from the pile of broken, shattered trees. "Now, Sakura, whatever did I do to elicit such hatred from you?"

"You played us all by pretending to be a harmless shinobi by the name of Tobi. I don't like being hoodwinked nor do I like being used." Sakura narrowed her eyes dangerous on Madara, hands curling up again into rock-hard fists. A faux, sorrowful sigh escaped Madara, as if he was deeply troubled with the notion of battling Sakura.

"What a pity. I was rather hoping you would help me by bringing my scheme to fruition yet I suppose I should have accepted you to behave this way." Shrugging his shoulders, he suddenly lurched forward and decked Sakura with the back of his hand.

"Very well. I accept." He fleered down at the rosette-headed kuniochi, picking up his fallen katana while giving her ample time collect her bearings and strike again. However, as soon he was about to pivot around and slash his katana wildly at her, a wooden puppet shot out nowhere and began assailing him viciously with several weapons dipped in venom.

"Sasori!" bellowed Madara, now agitated with all these interruptions, "You too want to join in?" The Scourge of Suna glared formidably at him, bending down to help Sakura up.

"This is my wife you're trying to kill. Did you truly think I would just sit back and watch her risk her life?" Sasori riposted, his brisk tone dripping with icicles. He spread his arms out, faint blue chakra strings already attached to the tips of his fingers. Knowing exactly what her husband was up to, Sakura nodded solemnly and planting her feet, she unleashed an unearthly battle cry before plunging her chakra-induced fist straight into the ground.

At once the grassy terrain beneath started to shake convulsively, tremors zipping up and all around the battlefield. Everyone save for Madara, Sakura, and Sasori struggled to regain their footing and scuttled away from the three ominous shinobi. Shinkutsuki was taken away so he wouldn't have to witness his parents fight to the death.

As Madara had been busy keeping his footing, Sasori meanwhile had summoned his collection of puppets, all preserved and ready at his disposal. He then launched them at the madman, who in return sliced and diced his way through the puppet horde, easily weaving in and out through the sea of strings and wooden limbs. However, Sakura, who was buys anticipating his moves, managed to predict one of his locations and delivered him a scathing cuff to the ear and temple, then an uppercut to the jaw. Madara tumbled for a bit, once again caught off guard by Sakura's super strength yet recovered quickly. He then teleported behind her, raising his katana high as if he planned to finished her off with a swift, clean swipe. But Sakura sensed his move just in time and ducked, rolling out of range and back to Sasori.

"He's much too fast, Sasori, we can't keep doing this," she panted, hurling a few time bombs at Madara to keep him preoccupied. "I could send some clones after him but I don't how long that will last. I have to use my chakra sparingly."

"The more he drags this out, the harder it will be for us to defeat him," agreed Sasori, sending another onslaught of puppets at Madara while keeping a few rather enormous but quick ones at their side to serve as shields just in case Madara teleported right next to them and attacked.

"Sasori…" Sakura began, glancing back at her husband to see if there were any signs of weariness or trouble, "You might have to use that one jutsu you taught me when we were married."

"The Final Dance of the Puppets?"

She nodded firmly, viridian eyes sober yet gleaning with a spark of hope as she tilted her stare back at the scroll near Sasori's hip, the very scroll that would activate the aforementioned jutsu.

"It could work. I can distract him while you prepare the hand signs," she offered, touching his arm affectionately, all the love in the world riveting in her emerald orbs as their gazes crossed. Finally, after a few minutes off contemplating and deciding, Sasori nodded solemnly and took out the scroll, beginning to unravel it.

"Do what you can, Sakura. But be careful, I don't want to lose you to that maniac."

Smiling softly, Sakura stood on her tip-toes and planted a chaste kiss to his lips before whispering, "You won't lose me, Sasori. We went through too much to be torn again from each other's arms. Once this is all over, it will just be you, me, and Shinkutsuki." A slight smirk grazed Sasori's lips and wrapping his arms around her torso, he claimed Sakura's mouth with an intense, desperate fervor, cradling her head as they kissed passionately. Against their wish, they were force to part, rendering the kiss to be a sweet, fresh memory. Squeezing his hand reassuring before she went, Sakura rocketed herself forward like a bat out of hell.

Madara soon came into sight and ere he could melt out of thin air, Sakura hurtled a bombardment of kunai knives at his being and while he was busy evading them all, she rapidly made a dozen clones of herself and subsequently attacked him once he blocked the last kunai knife.

"Really? Shadow clones?" drawled out Madara, obviously regaled by Sakura's tactic, "I expected better from you, Sakura. This is something that Kyuubi brat would do."

Sakura tightened her fist, suppressing the urge to pummel him where he stood for insulting Naruto like that. He was taunting her, baiting her so she could snap, loose control, and behave recklessly.

_Sorry to burst your bubble, Madara, but I'm made of sterner stuff._

'_Yeah! Eat that moron!'_

_You again?_

'_Who else would I be?'_

Breaking off contact with her inner self, Sakura tilted her head to the clones and at once, they all assailed upon Madara. His swordsmanship was nearly peerless; he quickly took out five of her clones with just one simple slash of his blade. He flawlessly eluded all her clones' punches, kicks, jabs, and other physical attacks and when he tired of dodging them, he merely dispatched each one of them with a flick of his wrist, the katana stabbing or slicing through the shadow clones as if they construed out of cheese.

Sakura did her best to avoid most of Madara's deadly, calculated onsets and kept herself hidden amidst her clones but soon, all of them were gone and she was only one left standing. A black smile twisted itself across Madara's pale features, his soulless coal-like eyes gleaming with malice and ruthless.

"See? I knew you couldn't hide from me very long," he purred, taking one gradual step after the other, giving him the appearance of predator stalking his prey. "And where's Sasori? Shouldn't he becoming to your rescue by now?"

Snarling, Sakura stomped her foot down and a mammoth fissure shot at towards Madara, forcing him to move and relocate himself. With a sinister cackle, he vanished and Sakura whirled around while looking to her left and right, knowing exactly what the demented missing-nin was up to.

_He's somewhere…I can practically _sense_ him—_

"Behind you, dear." She froze, feeling the blade of his katana pressed lightly against the nape of her neck, ready to sever her head off her body if she made a false move. One of Madara's hand snaked around her waist, pulling her close up against his body. Sakura bristled with indignation but held her tongue even when a tiny chortle broke free from Madara's lips.

"Oh, Sasori, where are you? Your sweet wife could use your assistance!" he called out mockingly, sadistic laughter ringing in his voice. His katana caressed her skin, pricking her flesh enough to cause a shallow rivulet to trickle out of the cut. He was about to press the sword even deeper when a foreboding silence descended upon them, the kind of hush that foretold that something larger than life was about to betide.

"_Final Dance of the Puppets!" _roared Sasori, garnet eyes ablaze with ire when he saw Sakura's position. Tantamount to magic, marionettes of all shapes and sizes descended all around Madara and Sakura, a mystical glow in their wooden, carved eyes. Just when Madara was about to lop off Sakura's head, one marionette latched it's fingers onto the katana while Sasori rapidly raced towards them and pried the roseate-haired kuniochi out of Madara's constricting hold, bringing Sakura into his arms and out of harm's way as his puppets began their dance of death, obstructing all exits with a chakra-infused seal that surrounded the marionettes and Madara. This type of jutsu was meant for execution, no one, not even the greatest shinobi on earth could escape from the jutsu's powers once he was caught in its web.

In other words, Madara was doomed.

"That was a close call, Sakura," murmured Sasori, turning her around so he could face her, "And I told you to be careful." The said medic gave him a sheepish smile.

"I was! It's just…some things don't exactly as planned," she admitted, arching her head up to kiss his nose, "But I was going to use a Replacement Jutsu if you didn't come when you did."

A detrimental yell that came from Madara reverberated through out the vicinity but the couple paid his agony no mind. They exchanged a brief yet ardent kiss before turning their backs towards the execution scene of Madara, heading back to everyone who anxiously waited for the news of their victory.

They would clean up the trash later.

**THE END**

_

* * *

_

"_**Do you know we reached somehow the end of every story  
Welcome to the final show, it's here, in all its glory  
You can run but all you flee is a life of sorrow  
Time will tell what kind of fate will be waiting for us now.**_

_**Built on sand by our hands were all of our homes  
Turn around, realize this world is not our own  
So we have to succumb to the call of fate  
Hear it now, it leads us down to future's open gate."**_

* * *

**Color Glossary: **

Nigrine- black

At last, the end! In the immortal words of Panic! At the Disco, "This calls for a toast so pour the champagne!" (And plus, it was fun listening to songs from Repo! The Genetic Opera.)

Funnily enough, after implying all the agony Madara was going through (use your imagination in how brutal the marionettes get, Madara's demise was not swift nor was it pleasant) and after having Sakura and Sasori go back all their allies, it just seemed to end perfectly with that. Adding more (like what occurred afterwards) felt, well, unnecessary. I'm rather satisfied with letting you readers envision with what happens afterward. You know Sasori and Sakura will live happily with Shinkutsuki in the Akatsuki base and so will Shikamaru and Ino. Orochimaru will eventually move on from his mother's death. So, I hope the ending was satisfactory for all!

Let's give a final round of applause to all my reviewers: , yellowcamaro, TsubasaAi1314, ChinaDollMaiden, Crystal Kira, TK Grimm, Vesper chan, Uchiha Yuki-chan, Alex the Ninth, and flordecerezauchiha. Thanks guys for sticking with me through it all—that also goes to all my readers! Glad to see so many people enjoyed reading _Breaking Back What's Dead_!

So yeah, that's all, folks. I'll be back with some more Naruto stories, crack and all. Adieu!

_**----SpeedDemon315**_


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